


Birds do not talk and Spoons do not bow

by HeleneInTheClouds



Category: The Wizards of Once - Cressida Cowell
Genre: Gen, I try to follow the book timeline, Modern AU, No Romance, No warnings apply, Wish still has a living spoon and Xar has his animals, but there are no spells and actual magic, chapter 2 starting at the same time as book 1, magic kind of exists, there are some quips about flirting and crushes but there are no relationships, this was a bad idea, though there may be some mentions of violence and curse words
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-25
Updated: 2020-04-12
Packaged: 2020-07-19 12:56:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 13
Words: 53,884
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19974445
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HeleneInTheClouds/pseuds/HeleneInTheClouds
Summary: Modern AU that started with some random ideas and led to a tumblr post and art.Xar and Wish attend the same school, but aside from a few passing glances, they never see each other.That will change soon.Better title and summary to be added





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> I would like to thank httydbooks-doodler for the iDEaS.  
> Also lovewizardswarriors-blog, spamalamam and the anonymous person on tumblr for inspiring me to actually do something with this idea.

Somewhere, in an old house on the edge of a forest, three figures anyone would flag as suspicious entered the home office of their Director General.

Their black suits and sunglasses were not exactly subtle, and neither was their shiny car with blinded windows parked next to the front door.

They exchanged handshakes and the combination of letters and numbers on their ID cards told the Director General who they were and why they were important.

The daylight fighting to get past the curtains provided sharp shadows on each of their faces.

The tall one on the left started.

“We are honoured to see you, mr... Uh...”

The Director General cut him off.

“By all means continue without introducing me. You know who I am.”

Even without numbered ID, all three immediately recognised him. The Director General was a tall and stern man, who could walk into any room and make everyone stop and listen.

Between the three unmistakable agents, none of them had never seen him without his suit.

The tall one coughed and skipped to the reason of their visit. “Uh yes right... We are here to bring the sudden passing of Mr. Jones to your attention.”

The middle one took over.

“The doctor, the second opinion and the third all consider it a heart failure.  We would have done so too, if it weren’t for the fact that his phone and computer have vanished and his iPad mysteriously crashed.”

The Director General looked from the man on the left to the woman in the middle and back.

“If so, perhaps it would be best to consult the police on this. Or a technical detective.”

No need to speak to him about the death of an agent that wasn’t his. 

“Well, no.”  The woman continued in an even more serious tone. 

(When you wear a suit and sunglasses everything you say tends to sound serious to begin with.)

”Officially, there are no suspicious circumstances. Both his phone and computer were still in his house, with his own files and fingerprints.”

She paused for a second, and the three exchanged glances.

_You tell him, I don’t want to._ The eyes of the man on the left signaled.

_Alright but you owe me._ She signaled back.

“As you may know, mr. Jones was the lead agent of the case of Sychorax Maresca Raeynes.”

If that name impacted any of them, (all four of them to be fair), they would not show it.

The man on the left handed over a file with S. MARESCA RAEYNES in big bold letters.

The lack of reaction from their Director General delighted every single one of them and the man on the left suppressed a sigh of relief.

“His phone and computer were replaced. All data regarding her has been wiped.”

“From all three devices.”

The Director General frowned, and his frown made two of the agents hold their breath.

It was a well known gossip among the higher up agents that madam Maresca Raeynes had blood on her hands. The juicy stories mentioned recently deceased influential politicians and her concurrents. 

On paper, madam Maresca Raeynes did not even have a speeding fine on her name.

“We are asking you to continue, or rather, redo this case yourself.

We understand, of course, that the Director General should not be bothered by these matters, but I can assure you this is not the first time an agent is found dead in their bed.”

The man on the right, who had not made a sound yet, spoke the last words.

“Besides. You know very well why we believe _you_ have the capabilities to solve this problem.”

The Director General’s frown deepened and he gave them a stern nod.

The three left, just as unsubtle as they had arrived, and whoever was at the wheel made the engine roar. Luckily for them the trees surrounding the house would block most of the noise.

From behind his desk, Direcor General Encanzo sighed.

He opened the file and Sychorax Maresca Raeynes stared at him from a photograph. He immediately shut it again.

In all his years working at the security service, he had never thought he would see those eyes again.

Perhaps the reason why he started working at the security service was to never see those eyes again, though he would never admit such a thing.

Sychorax was the last person Encanzo wanted to deal with. 

The only ray of positivity was the fact that he was nearly sure she would not have him assassinated.

_Nearly._


	2. ONE MONTH LATER

**THE CITY ** , ONE MONTH LATER

* * *

On the highest floor of a glass skyscraper, six handsome girls were waiting in line. Each one of them wearing a grand worth of white clothing, and each of them having at least two knives hidden in said clothes.

The seventh, a little one with windswept hair and an eyepatch came running trough the elevator doors.

“You are late.”

The youngest daughter averted her gaze at the sound of her mother’s voice.

She had wished and wished and _wished_ she would arrive before mother, but to no avail.

“I am sorry, mother.” The girl answered.

There was a good reason for her being late, namely falling from the stairs at school because she had tripped over the carpet, and a red light, which her driver had patiently waited for.

Neither of them seemed very good excuses now.

Their mother opened the door to her office.

“Come in.”

One by one, the girls followed their mother, like military ducklings.

The fore-last girl let go of the door too early and it hit the youngest daughter on the shoulder.

By the time mother duck sat down behind her desk, the little girl scrambled to her feet.

“Wish.” She sighed, “You know these doors are heavy and you know why.”

“I- I am sorry mother. I think I fell over...” Wish stammered.

“They are made to stop rounds of ammunition and their weight will surely sweep you away.” Her mother said.

All seven girls nodded.

Wish rarely visited her mother’s city office, which was empty save for the desk and the chair, and it was even rarer to see all her sisters there too.  The seven of them had their own lives and merely passed each other in the hallways of their home.

Her mother had to have a serious matter to discuss, for her to summon them all here.

“Come over and tell me what you see.”

Sychorax gestured to the gigantic window behind her desk. It stretched from the floor to the ceiling and nearly replaced the entire wall. 

The view was mesmerizing. They could see the city center with tourists taking pictures and bussiness men and women running around with document cases, the suburb on the coast and the nearby beach, and if they peeked around the corner they could see a forest too.

Her seven daughters stepped forward.

“Our villa.”

“The port where our school is.”

“We skipped school today.” Another replied.

“My reflection.”

“You, mother.”

“The city below us.”

Wish answered last.

“The clouds and the sky.” 

_Please let that be a good answer! All my sisters are here to hear if it is not._

Sychorax did not say anything. She stood up and her daughters stepped aside as if they had practiced.

_Everyone always steps aside for her,_ Wish thought.

“When I look out this window I see all I have achieved.”

She spoke in a soft yet resolute tone.  All seven daughters leaned in to listen. 

“You are here right now  because of said achievements.”

Wish looked up at her mother’s silhouette.  The sunlight gave her a golden glow. 

“We are up here, high above the city. Gravity keeps us in place.”

Her mother stood straight as a candle and never lowered her head for anyone.

“At this height, it takes one push and gravity will pull us into a steep fall.”

Wish hoped she could have even one percent of her mother’s magnificence. It would be far more than she had now.

“Listen well, for I will only say it once. Unlike all previous times, someone competent is after us, one who would gladly see me fall.”

The sixth sister broke the silence, but immediately shut her mouth. “ Is it another investigation mother?”

Speaking out of turn was a grave mistake, especially when mother was discussing serious matters.  Wish felt her muscles tense involuntarily, as if she had been the one to make that mistake.

Sychorax Maresca Raeynes closed her eyes for a second, and her voice hardened.

“I am telling you to be cautious with your words, there is no reason to worry.

I will make sure he will plunge with us should it come that far.”

Wish left her mother by the window and returned to the ground floor with her sisters.  Two of them passed a notepad back and forth in lieu of conversation.  Both knew very well Wish would not be able to read it.

Once outside, she stepped into one of the cars waiting in line. 

Sychorax had instructed her fleet of white sedans to be ready at any time and place. One for each daughter and a flagship for herself.

Wish’s driver closed the door and asked her where she wanted to go.

_Home._

Back to her own room where she would not need to read and her pet Spoon was waiting for her to polish him. After all, she had been told online that grooming is  important for a pet.

A few months ago she had found the spoon scurrying around her room and taken him in as her pet.

He loved it when she tickled the bowl of his head and hid in her bag when she walked around the port. Both Wish and Spoon liked the sound of the waves.

Caring for him had made her a bit nervous in the beginning.  Wish had searched the internet, but _‘What To Feed A Pet Spoon?’_ was not among google’s most asked questions.

She ended up on the page of someone who had a lot of unusual pets. Wild birds, woodland critters and even wolves.  Eventually she had sent them a message.

> Hi, I’ve followed you for a while and I think I might have accidentally gotten a pet. Do you have any tips on what to do now?

They answered, and she had asked all her questions while trying as best as possible to hide the fact that her pet was a spoon.

> Pets usually do best in their natural environment, so maybe change your room temperature. In case of a lizard, maybe get a heat lamp.

She had politely replied that a lamp would not be necessary. Her Spoon was made out of iron and he would become scalding hot.

As far as Wish knew, everything went fine. Her Spoon never complained.

Eventually they told each other about other parts of their life.

How both their parents were rarely around, and when they were it was to voice their quiet disappointment. The never ending struggle to pass their tests (they discovered they shared a grave dislike for math), and the bullies who were ever present at both their schools.

Whoever he or she was, they had enough courage to talk back, despite the consequences.

Wish wished she could do the same, but whenever she was at school she felt like she did best to hide and pretend she was not there.

The car was almost at the port when she got a message.

> I got in trouble again... Someone stole a girl’s glasses again and she has -7. She couldn’t even see lighthouse island.

Wish breath stopped for a second.

> Lighthouse island???

She sent back.

Near the port lay a small island that once had a lighthouse on top of it. She could see it from her mother’s office in the city.  Everyone in town still called it lighthouse island, even those who moved there after the lighthouse was broken down.

_It could be a coincidence,_ shetold herself.

_There are so many small islands and surely a lot of them lave lighthouses on them._

_This does not mean anything._

It did not stop her heart from racing.

Another message.

> There’s a small island we can see from the school yard. There used to be a lighthouse.

Wish let out a gasp and did not reply when her driver asked her if she was all right.

Whoever it was, he or she was from her school.

~

That same morning, the new geography teacher took attendances. 

The old one had left in the middle of the week and was replaced only two days later by this tall twig of a man with unusually bushy eyebrows.

“Bodkin Archer.”

“Present.”

Bodkin hated taking attendances.

He was always first on the list, and his fellow students’ minds were still fresh enough to turn their heads and look at him.

The school was by no means an elite one, but its fame and fees had drawn in upper middle class families whose children stared at a boy like him.

A few of his classmates would be considered ‘wealthy’ by everyone.

One of them was the unfortunate soul who came after him on the attendance list.

“Xar Ata...”

The teacher stopped and looked at his clipboard again.

“Ataraxe...”

A few classmates started to snicker.

The ‘fan club’, as Bodkin called them.

Boys and girls who started to giggle whenever that boy smiled at them.

Bodkin wasn’t sure what to think of him.

Xar Ataraxeiavanqaj was undoubtably the most infuriating and captivating person Bodkin had ever met.

Xar himself leaned back on his chair in the nonchalant way he seemed to own.

“One more try sir, or I’ll have to deduct some points!”

Laughter from nearly the entire class.

The new teacher slammed the clipboard on his desk and pointed at Xar with a bony finger.

“At least I know you are present, young man, but do not let me catch you speak such rude... 

Are you leaning your chair against the desk behind you?”

Xar definitely was. He had draped his arm over the desk behind him and balanced the chair on two of its legs.

“No sir, absolutely not. Wherever would you get that idea?”  He grinned.

Laughter again.

No one had the cheek to look a teacher in the eye while galling them, let alone in the first ten minutes of the first class.

Even Bodkin (who considered provoking teachers the worst kind of misbehaviour) had to admit Xar was something else.

He wasn’t sure whether ‘something else’ was positive or negative.

~

“Can I ditch the ice pack now?”

“No.”

Bodkin placed a band aid on Xar’s eyebrow and Xar groaned.

Bodkin was annoying, nervous and a pain in the butt most of the time, but Xar could not leave him as favourite subject of the bullies.

The boy had made it to their school on a half-covering scholarship and his parents had used nearly all their savings to cover the other half, a fact some smug classmates liked to point out as often as possible.

Besides, he made a great homework help.

If anyone deserved that scholarship it was him. Not once had Xar seen Bodkin fail a test, or get less than 8/10.

“I swear Xar, one day you will climb too high and fight too hard and I won’t be able to fix you.” Bodkin said.

_Great. Now Bodkin would give him another one of his speeches._

“Look at your jacket. The entire sleeve is torn from the back.”

Xar shrugged.

That wasn’t important right now. He could do without one track jacket, and he had many more. 

“It is only lunch break and you already made me get a first aid kit.”

Glasses, on the other hand, were harder to replace.

Three birds chirped excitedly around his head when he arrived home.

Once again he was sent home immediately for ‘misbehaviour that will not be tolerated at school.’

His father’s shadow paced around in his office.

For some reason he did that more and more often lately.

“Hello father, I’m home!” Xar said.

“Hello Xar. You’re home early.” Said his voice from behind the door.

“Uhhhh..... yes?”

In his haste he forgot to think of a clever excuse.

Xar was not sure whether his father believed his clever excuses, but his eyes always said the same thing.

Every evening he wished his father would look at him in approval, the way he looked at Xar’s older brother.

_Looter who was going to study to become a uniformed agent._

_Looter who did not climb trees or break his phone every few weeks._

_Looter who had wide shoulders and a strong biceps._

Father never complimented his strength though.

“It’s good to be strong enough to win a fight. It’s even better to be clever enough and avoid one.”

It made Xar feel a little better about his own lack of height and width.

Right now the two of them were discussing something, and nearly fighting.

Xar stepped a little closer to the office door.

The idea that his father was angry at Looter filled him with clandestine glee.

“No Looter, I will not.” His father’s voice thundered.

“B-but father...” 

A corner of Xar’s mouth twitched upwards at the sound of Looter’s stuttering.

For once it was Looter who was getting scolded in that office.

Xar had stopped stuttering a long time ago, but the sinking feeling he got whenever his father ordered him inside remained.

“No, I will not hear it!” He said with a voice befitting the Director General.

Xar heard his father sigh, then he spoke softly.

“This is a case I might not be able to solve.”

Silence on both sides of the door.

“Leave me.” 

Xar heard his brother get dismissed, and stepped aside to avoid getting hit with the door.

The door opened and Looter shoved him further aside anyway.

“Move, baby brother!”

Xar let Looter pass, too stunned to respond.

‘ _A case I might not be able to solve.’_

His father had never failed ANYTHING!

That’s why he was often gone to attend Important Meetings with Important People in the city.

That’s how he got his important job in his boring office.

That night, Xar had one of the birds knick the keys from his father’s jacket and in return that bird could come with him to the office.

He hid the small brown fledgling in the pocket of his pajamas and tiptoed down the stairs to his father’s office.

Years of experience made Xar the only one who could walk the old wooden staircase without making it creak.

As always, the top drawer on the left contained all his father’s current affairs.

Xar picked up the large file with S. MARESCA RAEYNES on it.

“Finally a surname as long as yours!” Chirped the pocket of his shirt.

“Mine is still better.” Xar whispered back.

This had to be the one. The case his father wasn’t sure he could solve.

Xar put it on the desk and flipped trough.

It sure contained a lot of papers.

A portrait of a man with _‘mr. Jones’_ written underneath.

Long reports on accidents with a hand written essay on why it was NOT an accident stapled to each of them.

A picture of someone in a burned out car.

_Ew. Gross._

Not that Xar would ever admit that.  The single person he would admit it to was safely on the other side of his computer screen.

More portraits of police men and women.

_Mrs. Tailor, Mr. Hank, Mr. Debenham._

Xar skimmed the pages.

Unrelated accidents, small businesses getting caught for tax evasion and a murderer who kept pleading innocent.

Xar wasn’t sure when he decided to start investigating  exactly,  but it had to be between putting down the file and climbing back in bed.

While his head rested on his pillow, his excitement kept him up most of the night.

The idea was so simple, and too good to be true! 

This was a chance Xar would not let slide. (Xar hardly let an opportunity to do something exciting slide.)

The name on the file had sounded familiar, and he remembered one of his classmates shared the surname of suspect S.

A quiet girl who vanished and appeared at random times and never truly caught his attention.

(Bodkin stared at her, like most boys, but Xar didn’t care.)

Surely she would know something about her mother’s shady practices.

Xar was going to find out.

If he could help his father solve the case S. MARESCA RAEYNES, he would finally look at his son with admiration, love and pride!

He knew exactly where to start.


	3. A Short and Kind Of Unnecessary introduction to Each Of Their Lives

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So uhhhh.... this fanfic has a chapter 2.  
> How wild.
> 
> I never expected this AU to become A Thing, but I’m already working on chapter 4 so I guess that’s that.

Wish flipped trough her latest essay. ‘Convergent evolution in carnivorous plants.’

She had checked it twice and submitted a digital copy to the Golden Cypress Circle.

_Carnivorous plants do not share one common ancestor. They all evolved independently from non-carnivorous plants._

Wish did not mention that she spelled Convergent Evolution as _Konvergend eevoolutsion_ at first.

“I mean it Wish. This time you have to go.” Bodkin handed her another print of the invitation e-mail. She had crumpled the previous two, but since it was an e-mail, Bodkin could print it again and again.

“That last one, about philosophy, was definitely one of your best. You deserved to win. Though Epicurus is with a c instead of a k.”

Wish knew that. Epicurus with a c. She wasn’t sure why she hadn’t written it with a c herself. Surely there were rules for how words were supposed to be spelled, but however hard Wish tried, she never understood them.

It was also the reason why she had refused. Not even Bodkin’s confidence could make her feel like she could accept that invitation.

“Wish, I’m sure they’ll all fall from their chairs when they find out you wrote these.” Bodkin continued.

‘They’ were the members of the Golden Cypress Circle.

The Golden Cypress Circle was a posh debating club, which mostly consisted of the people who lived in the old wooden mansions near the forest. Every month, they let outsiders submit a short, original and thought provoking essay for them to converse about.

The authors of the ones they enjoyed discussing received a Letter of Gratitude and the best one was invited for tea to converse with them.

“I don’t know Bodkin...” 

It was one thing to share your writing, it was another to share your identity. 

At school everyone knew who she was. Wish, daughter of Sychorax Maresca Raeynes, who they could stare at, but never see. Being invisible was so easy.  The expensive clothes her mother got her only made it easier. A flash of white and gold and one ‘missing’ eye. No one ever looked at her face.

The person on the other side of her screen, and the people having tea would not see her either, as if she merely existed in the form of anonymous messages.

“You’ll be their youngest twice winner ever!” Bodkin raised his voice to a little over what was allowed in the school library. (Not that the librarians cared. Bodkin was by far the nicest boy to visit their books.)

About a year ago Wish had been paired up with Bodkin for an assignment and they had scored an 9.2 out of 10. By far the highest of the class, and the highest either of them had gotten on Classics Education, a notoriously difficult subject.

Ever since, she had submitted her writing, and it had earned her 9 letters and 2 invitations for tea.

“Why don’t you go?” Wish asked.

Bodkin was smart, read thrice as many books as anyone in their class, and often had twice the grade she got. He would fit perfectly in a chair in Golden Cypress Tearoom with a cup of Earl Grey in his hand.

“Because I did not write it!” Bodkin whispered in an agitated fashion that did not suit him. “I’m just the spell checker. I cannot have entire conversations about katasematic-whatever.”

“The absence of mental distress.”

“Yes that.” 

Wish handed him the print. “See? You know this stuff, and you’re actually able to talk have a conversation with those people.”

The thought of sending Bodkin made her heart a little lighter.

Her mother, Sychorax Maresca Raeynes was an honorary member of the Golden Cypress Circle, though in name only, and she was the reason Wish started writing. Wish clung to the hope that her mother would visit the Golden Cypress Tearoom one day and find her praised essays there. At the same time, she dreaded the moment her mother would hand them to her and ask her why she could not be that good at economics, or why she kept secrets this big.

Sending Bodkin would avoid both these scenarios, which meant everything stayed the same, and that felt far safer. 

Wish had stopped writing for her mother after the third essay or so. She liked sitting at her desk in the evening after shoving her homework aside, to think about all sorts of subject without a right or wrong answer. To be able to backspace endlessly until her brain sent her a sentence she liked, without fearing an impending grade of doom.

When she looked at the photos of plants she could clearly arrange them into families, and when a calming Discovery narrator explained how they worked, she remembered nearly everything.

It made so much sense in her head. Then why couldn’t she write down what she wanted?

Wish crumpled the e-mail.

~

“I need you to do something for me.” Xar’s voice came from somewhere above Bodkin’s right ear.

Bodkin looked away from his book and Xar stood next to him with his hands on his hips. Xar never asked him anything besides photos of the homework, and Bodkin secretly dreaded what he would have to do.

The fan club happily joined him on his ghost-hunting-at-midnight and stealing-from-the-chemistry-lab plans, but Bodkin had never been asked to tag along and he never asked. None of Xar’s plans ever sounded like fun.

“Uhhh... ok?”

As usual, Xar ignored his hesitation. He dropped his bag next to Bodkin, who started ranking possible requests from ‘bad’ to ‘catastrophic’.

“Great! I need you to copy those essays you keep correcting for Wish.”

That was definitely not the question expected, and he struggled to add it to the ranks.

“Wha... why?” He uttered. What in the entire world would Xar want with Wish’s essays?  For a boy who couldn’t figure out the gradient of a line, Wish’s writing about old Greek thinkers was a level above him.

“I need them.”

Bodkin looked up at Xar, who still stood next to where he was sitting. He tried his best not to show a reaction. 

Officially, Bodkin was the taller one. However, Xar’s fast tongue, faster insults and fan club made him slightly intimidating.

“Them? As in, plural?” This just kept getting weirder and weirder. “I cannot possibly copy all of them. I don’t have enough printer credit! Besides, Wish has them all.”

Xar crossed his arms. “Then steal them. Surely Wish would let you take them for studying, or whatever it is you do.” At ‘whatever-it-is’ he mockingly waved his hand towards the book on Bodkin’s lap.

In the usual case, this would agitate Bodkin most severely, but this time he was far too stunned to react. Bodkin gulped.

_Stealing._

_From Wish._

Xar’s request immediately got classified as ‘catastrophic’.

“I am not going to...” Bodkin looked around and lowered his voice, _“_ _Steal.” _Stealing was bad. Stealing would get you in trouble. Stealing was forbidden.

All very good arguments for Bodkin, but not for Xar.

”Meh.” Xar shrugged. “ If I can shoplift a bottle of Bacardi, surely you can get a few lousy papers.”

Bodkin’s mind raced to find a good excuse. “T-they are files, and I-I can print them for you.” Bodkin stammered.

_Even Xar must see that printing is easier than stealing!_

A bit of easy math told him it would cost more than 20 pounds to print it all, but it would be less problematic.

“Sure.” Xar replied, still ignoring Bodkin’s growing unease.

_Is Xar really that oblivious?_ He  thought.

“I-I told you. I don’t have printer credit.”

“Fine. I’ll give you a memory stick, and you can copy them.”

Xar finally sat down, and started rummaging his bag.  The chaotic mess inside made Bodkin’s hands itch to hold it upside down and organise everything into the designated pockets. He did have a memory stick. Two in fact. One of them still in the package, though the carton had a large blue in stain on it.

“Here you go. And try to hurry.”

_You’re the only one who is hurrying,_ Bodkin thought. Xar already left, and talked to a few students from the year under them. His bag was still open, for Xar hadn’t zipped it up.

The second memory stick had fallen out again, and Bodkin put it in his own bag. 128 GB was not cheap, and Bodkin was sure it would come in handy if he kept it.

_Xar would not miss it. He would not even go looking for it, should he notice._

Bodkin fidgeted with his bookmark. 

_Some people can afford to lose a thing like that and not bat an eye._

He wondered if people like Xar simply did not care, or their wealth made them careless. When a fan club member’s phone charger died, Xar sneaked out and bought him a new one. Not a copy, but one of the official ones, from the electronics store.

One time during PE, Bodkin had peeked at Xar’s clothes and every single piece had been stamped with small logos from Armani jeans, Adidas, or that brand with a tiny crocodile. Bodkin often told Xar to be careful, but Xar climbed trees and pulled too hard on the zipper, as if his jacket could be replaced on a whim.

After a few minutes, Bodkin eased into the idea of copying the essays. Perhaps this request wasn’t too painstaking after all. There was no harm in copying files, right? Not if he had part in creating them, and Wish wanted him to take the credit in her place. On top of that, he just got a new memory stick.

~

Xar closed his laptop and sighed.

The essays had been sorted by date, newest first.  Out of the ones he read, only the first about plants interested him.  Every one after that annoyed him more than the one before. How Bodkin could read this AND pay attention to what the words meant, was beyond him. After he skimmed the third (a confusing thing that used the word ‘memory’ far too much and generally made him dizzy), he decided it wasn’t worth it.

He grabbed some cookies and went downstairs.

His father’s shadow was in its usual spot in his office. Looter was somewhere in the city at his Academy for Uniformed Men and Women.

Xar passed trough the dining room and living room. Every ornament in place, fresh flowers on each drawer. He opened the sliding door in the living room and went outside. A slight breeze blew his hair in all different directions, and besides a snip-snip sound, he could only hear the birds. They were waiting for Xar and happily chirped around his head. One of them collided with a falling leaf and made Xar wait for a minute.

No one was exactly sure where the garden ended and the forest started. His father had never built a fence, and neither had the groundkeeper.

Xar always waved at the old man, who was now cutting the lavender.  (This was the snip-snip sound.) He was their gardener, housekeeper and cook, and had been around as long as Xar could remember. He got clumsier each year, and Xar suspected his memory started failing too, but his father had never spoken a bad word about him.

The run down fence from the previous owner still stood about twenty metres past the first trees. The wood brittled each winter, and Xar had changed his habit of jumping over it.

Beyond the fence, the trees densed, light dwindled and the forest floor ceased to be a path.

There were many rumours surrounding this particular forest. It was one of the few dating all the way back to the bronze age, and naturally that inspired many mysterious fables. There were centaurs and unicorns. Buried skeletons with broken skulls and vengeful ghosts of murder victims. Monstrous Witches.

The less fantastical one about a bear living there, was completely true. Xar had met her a few times, and when she was in a good mood, she let Xar stroke her brown fur.  She was also terribly shy, and hid from every other visitor.

His chest swelled with pride at the knowledge that he was the Legendary Bear of The Forest’s favourite human.

He was also the favourite human of the local wolf pack. They counted the part of the forest behind his home as their territory, and Xar had played games with them when he was younger.

“Hello there!” 

Six wolves circled around him and wagged their tails. Xar took his time to hug every one of them.

“It IS pretty breezy today. I brought a jacket, you are already wearing yours.”

Two light grey wolves made soft whining noises.

“Hopefully the sun will appear soon. Come on.”

It was warm for a November day, and despite the partial clouds, Xar did not need the jacket.

The large brown wolf trotted next to him and occasionally pushed him over. (Xar pushed back, but a less than 50kg boy was no match for a full grown wolf.) This significantly lengthened their journey to Xar’s favourite tree.

An ancient yew, so old and tested that not even the birds perched on its branches, and no other tree could grow in its shade.  Little specks of light fell trough its leaves and made the glass glow like glitter.

During summer, it was a very comfortable place to take a nap.

Xar sat down under the tree and told his companions about his attempts to gather information about Suspsct S.  He had pickpocketed Wish’s planner and later her notebook, but neither of them contained any clues. (Putting them back was a funny story on its own.)

Google had been nothing but lauding. At the end of his story, even the bear joined the audience.

“I dunno guys... She never mentions anything interesting. She rarely talks anyway, and I can’t walk up to her and become her best friend in a day.” Xar picked a sunflower seed from his cookie and flicked it away.  Three birds jumped to catch it.

“You ssshould just punch the truth out of her! You’re ssstrong enough.” hissed a large and kind of malicious gull.*

Naming him had been difficult, for he pecked Xar when he disliked the suggested name.  He often said he was too spirited to spend time with a human boy, but he flew all the way from the port to the forest, which made Xar believe the gull liked him at least a tiny bit.

The bird Xar called Tiffinstorm agreed.  “Of courssse! She iss no match for you!”

“Yous the BEST! And the STRONGEST!” Chirped the smallest bird in agreement. The slightly stupid young sparrow, who made nests in Xar’s already vertical hair, jumped up and down on his knee. Xar stroked his head with one finger. “I’s SURE you can do it! You’s the GREATEST!”

The wolf he was leaning against shifted a little. Xar scratched him behind his ear with his other hand.

“Or! Ask that BOY!” The sparrow said.

The gull rolled its eyes at this peaceful suggestion, but Xar nodded. He had to admit it was a pretty good plan. _Bodkin might know something! He spends time with Wish, and she might have told him stuff about her mother. It was not as if she had anyone else to rant to._

Another wolf lay down next to him and the fight over the seeds-picked-from-cookies ended with a 5 score victory for Tiffinstorm.

He would question Bodkin, maybe pressure him a bit, but that would be the next day. The wolf felt so soft, and bits of sunlight made their way to his shoulder, warming the other side of his body. 

Xar decided he might as well take a nap.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *His favourite hobby was harassing tourists at the port.  
> To steal their food, or just for fun


	4. The history of an internet friendship

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m pretty sure Xar would use lots and lots of crude language, and Wish cannot spell correctly, but that would make this text far less readable.
> 
> Warning for a few curse words that might fall under a T rating.

**TUMBLR** , 4 MONTHS EARLIER

* * *

_**JULY** _

> _14 July, 20:22_
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Hi, I’ve followed you for a while and I think I might have accidentally gotten a pet. Do you have any tips on what to do now?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Accidental pets are the best ones!
> 
> What kind is it? The sometimes-it-drops-by-my-window kind or the I-need-to-get-a-vet kind?
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> The first? I think? 
> 
> Nobody knows I have it and to be honest I don’t want anyone to.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Cool! If your pet isn’t always around it won’t get discovered.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Yes, but what do I do?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Give him/her a name, fresh water and stuff that’s healthy. 
> 
> Pets usually do best in their natural environment, so maybe change your room temperature. In case of a lizard, maybe get a heat lamp. In case of a bird, maybe twigs and soft things to make a nest.
> 
> He/she will appear whenever they feel like.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Uhhh... ok
> 
> I don’t think a change of temperature in necessary. And I think my pet is a he... How do I find out what name he likes?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> I dunno
> 
> One of mine pecked me until I said something he liked.
> 
> Iron-flower-Crown
> 
> Oh. That doesn’t sound very nice. And what name did you get?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Ariel
> 
> Think he likes the little mermaid, though I should have named him after that bird.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Scuttle?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Yeah that one. He didn’t like it though.
> 
> When I asked him he said his name was poetry. ‘Not to be confused with the animal sidekick of a fish.’
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> 😂😂😂
> 
> Because fish is edible?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> You got it XD

> _21 July, 20:24_
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> How do you make sure no one finds your pet?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> I thought it was the drops-by-randomly kind?
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Ehhh... I guess not?
> 
> He kind of lives with me permanently
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Ok....
> 
> Make sure he is healthy and won’t get ill. Go to the vet, just to be sure.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I... don’t think I can do that
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Why?
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> It’s not a pet I’d want anyone to see
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Riiight. Well I don’t go to the dog park with my wolves either.
> 
> Iron-flower crown
> 
> They’d scare away all the smaller dogs  😂
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Lmao yes. They’d run over all the golden retrievers by accident.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Don’t they push you over? Golden retrievers are pretty big dogs...
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Hah
> 
> Sometimes they do. Then I have to ask them to move. 
> 
> That’s another thing. Talk friendly to your pet. Usually animals get scared when you raise your voice.
> 
> Iron-flower crown
> 
> Right, got that.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> And depending on the species maybe don’t look him in the eye? Some animals think you’re threatening them.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Thank you!

> _28 July, 21:03_
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I just wanted to thank you again for the advice!
> 
> My pet has made a home in my nightstand and is very happy when I take him out for a walk!
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Cool!
> 
> What kind of pet do you have btw?
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I... don’t really want to say...
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Uhh ok
> 
> But do know I will be thinking about your mystery for at least a week! XD

> _28 July, 21:48_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> It’s like an UFO, but a pet.
> 
> USP (Unidentified Secret Pet)
> 
> That sounds wayyy less cool.

> _29 July, 19:53_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Sooooo.... how is USP doing?
> 
> (Unidentified Secret Pet)
> 
> Since you haven’t told me his name yet
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Oh he is doing fine! 
> 
> In the evening I hide him in my bag and take him outside. He is still a bit shy though.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Cool.
> 
> If he is from the wild, you might want to let him roam for a while so he’ll get a little braver.
> 
> Wild things will stay wild.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Just outside?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Preferably his natural environment. Maybe with his own species.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Uhhh
> 
> That’s a bit.... difficult
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> He’ll come back! I’m sure of it!
> 
> My bear disappears for two weeks sometimes, but she always shows up again.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> No it’s not that, it’s just that he would scare people in his natural environment. I don’t want him to get caught.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Does anyone know you have him?
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> No.
> 
> Only you.
> 
> Does anyone know about your pets?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Only you.

~

**AUGUST**

> _10 August, 21:24_
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> School starts tomorrow...
> 
> I feel nauseous already.
> 
> I am going to miss my pet so much! I hope he will be ok when I am not around...
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Really? Mine starts tomorrow too.
> 
> It’s gonna be shit
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> We can suffer together  😂

> _11 August, 16:03_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> So how did it go?
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Introduction day is always terrible.
> 
> I feel like my classmates stare at me.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Introduction day
> 
> Always fun
> 
> And by fun I mean hell
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Well you’re not wrong  😂

> _13 August, 20:45_
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> USP is actually doing pretty well without me.
> 
> When I come home he is a bit hyperactive, and he dances around on my desk.
> 
> I miss him terribly though
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> That’s good to hear.
> 
> Some pets get destructive if they are lonely, or don’t get to release the energy they saved all day.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I’ll definitely keep that in mind!
> 
> He is a great homework help.

> _14 August, 19:56_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Four days in and I got a detention.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Already? How???
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> I fought a dude and his parents complained
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> What??
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Dude filled his water bottle with stuff from the chemistry lab and threw it.
> 
> Aimed it at a first year boy’s head.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> In that case I hope you punched him hard.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> I tried lmao. His eye was pretty blue.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> 👏👏 good

> _17 August, 20:34_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Now that it’s colder you might want to keep your pet from getting too wet
> 
> My animals clean themselves, but since USP lives with you all the time, you don’t want him to catch a cold.
> 
> How do you handle him after the rain?
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Oh usually a small towel will suffice.
> 
> He isn’t demanding, or messy.
> 
> I do have to be gentle. He is a bit ticklish.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> USP is small enough to fit in a bag and small enough to try with a towel
> 
> *makes mental note*
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> 😂😂😂

> _22 August, 20:40_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> You know how schools always have a tiny ass room in the hallway that make everyone suspicious?
> 
> Except no one is ever allowed to peek inside
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Yeah. As if there are dead bodies in there.
> 
> My school has one of those too.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Hah
> 
> I wish. That would have been more fun.  
> 
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Why?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Well I broke into the school at night to see.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> AND????  👀
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> It was hella boring.
> 
> Brooms, cutlery, cleaning supplies and a bucket or two.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Ahahaha that’s hilarious
> 
> I wouldn’t go to school voluntarily  😂
> 
> But how did you break into a school?
> 
> Isn’t yours locked and such?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Yes but I picked the lock.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> You know how to pick locks???
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Yeah.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> That’s awesome.
> 
> Add that to my bucket list  😂
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Let me tell you a secret.
> 
> Everyone thinks I am a wizard or something but I’ll tell u
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> 👀👀👀
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> I learned it from youtube.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Waittt
> 
> That stuff is on youtube?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Yeah. You still gotta practice, and you need some lockpicks, but you can learn it too.
> 
> I’ll send you the channel if you want. It has a lot of badass stuff.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> No that’s not necessary.
> 
> My mother won’t like it.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Your parents care about what you watch on youtube?
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Your parent’s don’t???
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> My father cares about a lot of things.
> 
> Mostly about what I do wrong lmao

> _26 August, 20:43_
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I got my mark list this week and I don’t know what to do with it.
> 
> My worst grade was a 3.4 average.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Oof
> 
> Which subject?
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Maths.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> The word alone gives me nightmares.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> What do I do?
> 
> I’m sure you can imagine I don’t exactly look forward to showing it to my mother.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Put it in the fireplace.
> 
> Jk don’t do that
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> It’s just that she’ll be so disappointed.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Mood.
> 
> My father always gets super pissed too
> 
> Still, you can’t hide them forever. Not even the fireplace will do that.
> 
> (Trust me I know)
> 
> Maybe you got bad grades, and your mother will be angry for a week or what, but there will be a day when all is well again between the two of you.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Hmmmm
> 
> I wish
> 
> 28 August, 22:43
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> My mother found my grades...
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Did you tell her? Or did she ‘find’ them?
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> She returned from work and immediately noticed I was hiding something.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Aw, I hope you’re ok. What made her notice this time, and not yesterday or something?
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I did not see her since I got my mark list.
> 
> A lot of the time I do not get to see her, she is always at work.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Wait what???
> 
> She was gone that long? And here I thought my father was a workaholic lmao
> 
> Sorry. That was probably not funny.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Apologies accepted. 
> 
> She was pretty mad, and by pretty I mean ‘she looked radiant even while being hopping mad’
> 
> But she will be going on a business trip soon. She is not always gone that long, most days we are not in the same place at the same time, even though she is home.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Still, that sounds terrible! You’re both home but you do not see each other? 
> 
> Now that I think of it, my father spends a lot of time in his office too.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Your father has a busy job too, I guess.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Yep. And when he is not busy he complains about my grades.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> SAME

> _29 August, 21:10_
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> If you don’t mind me asking, how do you end up fighting people at school this often?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Sometimes people at school do such bad things.
> 
> Not the kind that pisses of grown ups, like throwing in a window, but the kind that hurts someone and makes them feel bad.
> 
> I can’t stand it.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> And that’s why you fight them?
> 
> Sorry, I’m just trying to understand.
> 
> I have never fought anyone.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Yeah pretty much.
> 
> The first thing that comes to mind.
> 
> I say it. 
> 
> Curses. Deck them if necessary.
> 
> I don’t always win, in fact, usually I don’t.
> 
> I just can’t help it.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> You impulsively stick up for others.
> 
> I don’t think that is a bad thing.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> I guess?
> 
> I suck at explaining things.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I wish I had a bit if that too.
> 
> I always want to say something, but for some reason I never do.

~

**SEPTEMBER**

> _12 September, 22:34_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> My father finally came out of his office, but the ‘time together’ went hella great.
> 
> Older siblings are shit.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> 👀 what happened
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> I have one brother.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> One? Lucky duck
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> You haven’t met him.
> 
> He hates me, always tries to make me look bad in front of father and laughs at all my mistakes. Like today during dinner.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Oh
> 
> That’s
> 
> Relatable
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Just the way he looks. I can’t explain.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> As if they look at you like you are the inferior sibling. Whatever you do, they are always watching you to nitpick your faults. 
> 
> Like they collectively decided you should be the one that deserves all mother’s hate.
> 
> And when they tell mother, they do so with such glee that it makes you wonder what you did to deserve their wrath.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Wow...
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I have 6.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Big oof
> 
> My condolences XD
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Thank you very much  😂
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> I’m sorry to hear that tho. It must be terrible to have six of them.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I don’t know why, but the six of them are exactly what mother wants us to be. We are ducklings walking in line, and I am the ugly one.
> 
> Luckily I have USP.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> When you’re a swan, those bitches better be sorry
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I don’t know. I don’t really care about their opinion. I just want mother to love me.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Obviously I do not know anything about you or your life (hell idk if you’re a boy or girl) but I hope you don’t feel terrible all the time.
> 
> Parents have expectations and I guess we have to deal with that.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I know, and I am trying real hard, but I wish she would like my ugly duckling self too.
> 
> It hurts to think she is proud of what I do, instead of me myself.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> I’m glad to hear that
> 
> Wait that must sound real bad
> 
> Shit
> 
> I am not happy to hear your siblings hate you and your mom thinks you disappoint her. Of course not.
> 
> I’m glad to hear someone say the same thing
> 
> The same thing I feel
> 
> You know what 
> 
> Forget I said anything.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> No no it’s alright.
> 
> It’s a relief to say what I think out loud. Or type
> 
> Whatever
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Honestly it’s the biggest mood I’ve read in a LONG while.
> 
> I want my father to be proud, but I can’t help being a failure.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Agreed.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Wait, how did you guess my siblings are all girls?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> They are???
> 
> I didn’t btw
> 
> My brother is a massive bitch 

> _19 September, 20:22_
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> How is your little sparrow doing?
> 
> Since he is always so clumsy.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Oh he is fine. He always bumps into things, but he never gets hurt.
> 
> Whatever the little guy is made of, he can take it. Pretty sure he’d survive a bullet.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Man I wish I could do that.
> 
> I can’t go two days without getting a bruise somewhere.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> The accidental kind? Or the violent kind?
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> The first  😂
> 
> Somehow furniture always stands in the way? Or I fall down the stairs again.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> ‘Again’ o.O
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> That stuff happens. No big injuries though.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Damn.
> 
> You gotta meet the little birb.

> _28 September, 00:19_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Sorry to bother you at midnight but I think I might have a problem.
> 
> No wait, it might be lunchtime where you live...
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> It’s midnight here too, so go ahead!
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Tomorrow a boy from a class higher will be waiting for me after school. Said he would fight me ‘till I cried for my mommy’. Literally.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Really? So original  😑
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> He gave me an entire list of threats.
> 
> But the problem is I don’t think I can win.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Oh. And I guess not showing up will make you look bad?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> You got it.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> What if you lose?
> 
> Will they laugh at you? Or beat you?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Ehhh that isn’t the worst part
> 
> I’m pretty sure they already laugh.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Oh
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> But this time he and his club made a gigantic deal put of it. Others will be there, everyone will talk about it, and everyone will hear how bad I lost.
> 
> So next time they’ll laugh at my followers too. Steal their phones. And dump their bags in the toilet.
> 
> They will be worried and stressed, even if I fight the guy the next time AND win.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> And I assume that is the real problem?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Yes.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> If they are your friends, I am sure they will not mind that you lost once. I would be incredibly happy that there is someone who stands up for me. 
> 
> Or even tries.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Well
> 
> Uhh
> 
> I don’t know how to say it
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Just try? 
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> So uh
> 
> I don’t know if they are really my friends.
> 
> What if they see me lose?
> 
> They see me as their hero and I don’t want to lose their admiration.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Shitshitshit
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> What’s wrong?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> I have never said that out loud to anyone.
> 
> Not even to the birds.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> In case it makes you feel better, you did not really ‘say’ it.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Yea.
> 
> But do you have any idea what I could do?
> 
> He is the kind of guy who always talks the loudest. He also surrounds himself with a choir that provides a laughing track.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Right. There is a boy in my class like that too.
> 
> Let me think for a second.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Sure.
> 
> _28 September, 00:52_
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Maybe you can talk him out of it? Not like a debating club or anything, but trick him?
> 
> It’s just a random thing that came to mind. (It’s like 1 o clock here and my mind does not work THAT well.)
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> The fact that you can think of ANYTHING at 1 tells me your mind works well enough.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Tell him HE is the failure for taking you so seriously.
> 
> If he is really as confident as he says, then why would he bother with SO many threats? Repeat the list, if you still remember it.
> 
> Mother says if someone threatens you, they fear you enough to feel uncomfortable, and they make up for that fact by shouting.
> 
> Make him feel like he will lose face, no matter if he fights you and wins or not.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> You know
> 
> That might be the only sensible thing your mother ever said.
> 
> (As far as I know, she’s your mother after all.)
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> If he does and wins, he will confirm the fact he takes you very seriously.
> 
> If he does and you win, no one will take HIM seriously.
> 
> Leaving you alone will be easier, and even then people will conclude he doesn’t dare to mess with you.
> 
> Either way you win.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Does it work?
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I don’t know.
> 
> I always run.

> _30 September, 15:42_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Man, you’re a genius!
> 
> Your 1AM thoughts saved my head today!
> 
> Ur mom should appreciate that.
> 
> Thank you so, so much!
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Great to hear that!
> 
> I have to go now. Mother is asking for me.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> In that case shoo! XD
> 
> My father hates tardiness too.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> But one day you’ll have to tell me the entire story!
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Definitely!

~

**OCTOBER**

> _4 October, 21:37_
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Happy world animal day!
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> HAPPY WORLD ANIMAL DAY!
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Did you get to spend more time with yours?
> 
> I was stuck at school sadly  😖
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> I skipped school lmao
> 
> Nobody would go look for me in the forest. They’d get lost.
> 
> Ariel demanded fresh fish, but I can hardly smuggle herring and sardines in my school bag.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> You live near a forest where you can get lost?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Yeah. My animals are there most of the time.
> 
> It’s a large forest. No one will ever find them or me.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Cool.
> 
> I wish I could take USP outside without worrying anyone might see him.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Is he that scary?
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I’m pretty sure people would scream...
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Oof
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Next time, give the wolves a hug from me.
> 
> I’d love to pet a wolf  😂
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> I hope you will one day!

> _8 October, 00:58_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> If I ever met you I think I’d give you a hug.
> 
> Wait
> 
> Shit
> 
> How do you unsend a message

> _8 October, 01:19_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Dammit why isn’t this instagram
> 
> I always say dumb things at night
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Well, I wouldn’t mind a hug  😊
> 
> I’m pretty sure we could both use one...
> 
> Because ya know, neither of our parents are the huggy type.

> _8 October, 01:51_
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> If I ever met you I would show you USP.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> That alone is reason enough to try to find you.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Creep
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> jk jk 
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I have a VPN anyway so try your best  😂
> 
> If you do succeed, tell me beforehand so USP doesn’t accidentally attack you.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Hah
> 
> Maybe I shouldn’t try to find you after all.
> 
> Don’t want to piss off USP if he is scary enough to make people scream.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Wolves are scary too  😂
> 
> And bears.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> They just look that way! The bear is very sweet!
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> The only scary one is the gull.
> 
> Ariel.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Lmao true
> 
> I’ll tell you a few funny stories about him when it’s not midnight.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> *noted*

> _8 October, 20:12_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> You got something funny to tell?
> 
> My dad just scolded me and I feel like shit
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Why?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> This morning I got punched in the face.
> 
> I was too tired to dodge it and the teacher called my dad bc of a bloody nose.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> What???
> 
> Are you alright???
> 
> I hope I didn’t keep you awake...
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> I’m ok. 
> 
> It was worth it.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Staying up till 2 so you could be called creep.
> 
> Definitely worth a bloody nose  🤔
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Hah
> 
> Well now I know there is a tiny chance I will ever meet USP.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> We’re in the same timezone so that leaves 180 degrees of latitude  😂
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Lmao
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I think USP would love to meet you. 
> 
> You’d be the first person to meet him.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Oh the honour!
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> He hasn’t grown, so I can still take him outside in the evening.
> 
> The weather is getting colder though.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> November be like that.
> 
> You got him in July right?
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Yes.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Wait, he hasn’t grown???
> 
> Was he already an adult when you found him?
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Uhhhhhh
> 
> Yes?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> I know it’s an Unidentified Secret Pet, but perhaps he hibernates? You might want to google that.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I don’t think he does?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> You know, it would be REALLY helpful if I knew what species USP is.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I’m not really sure MYSELF what species he is...
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Wha...
> 
> You don’t???
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> 🙄
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Turn off your VPN I want to meet USP
> 
> jk lmao
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Can’t. My mom does that sort of thing.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Oh yeah
> 
> Don’t piss of mother duck.

> _16 October, 20:34_
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I love the new photos of your wolves!
> 
> They look so soft!
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> They are! 
> 
> Fun fact people ask me if I am the photographer of a rescue center or something.
> 
> Or they ask if I ever get attacked.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Ahaha what do you answer?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Nothing. I can hardly say I get wild wolves to sit still long enough to snap a picture.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> You just got photography skills  😂

~

**NOVEMBER**

> _3 November, 21:01_
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> What do you do when your father is angry?
> 
> Not the burning kind of angry, with shouting, but the cold kind.
> 
> The kind with quiet arguments and shattering glares.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> My father is usually the first kind...
> 
> But sometimes he has me come to his office. You know the fancy one for work.
> 
> He goes like one of those voicovers pretending to be an angry ghost. “Inside.”
> 
> And then I know im screwed
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> My mother rarely says anything.
> 
> She just gives me A Look, and it’s even worse.
> 
> It’s up to me to imagine everything she will say, but when she does it hurts far more than whatever I thought of.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> That’s
> 
> Too accurate
> 
> Holy shit
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I can’t help it.
> 
> My hands start trembling and I feel like crying.
> 
> That probably sounds stupid.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> I don’t even want to think about it, but sometimes I feel like crying too.

> _9 November, 00:04_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> This will sound really sappy but
> 
> When you write something it’s exactly what I feel.
> 
> Idk how to explain.
> 
> It’s as if you put into words what I cannot even clearly think.

> _9 November, 00:09_
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Well, I hope that is a positive thing???
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> It is.
> 
> _9 November, 00:40_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Thank you
> 
> _9 November, 00:59_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> So much

> _9 November, 15:31_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> I got in trouble again... Someone stole a girl’s glasses again and she has -7. She couldn’t even see lighthouse island.
> 
> Iron-flower crown
> 
> Lighthouse island???
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> There’s a small island we can see from the school yard. There used to be a lighthouse.

> _13 November, 19:56_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Hey so did I ever tell u about the time Ariel nearly crushed a small child?
> 
> Since I promised you a few stories about him.
> 
> It wasn’t that bad, the child got knocked over when he didn’t want to let go of his chips.

> _16 November, 20:22_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> How’s USP liking the cold? 
> 
> Assuming it’s also getting cold where you live 
> 
> (Maybe you live on the equator hell if I know)

> _18 November, 22:01_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> You have told me about your mother, and what she’s like, but what about your father?
> 
> Does he always agree with her?
> 
> Or is he gone?
> 
> My mother passed long ago fiy

> _19 November, 02:03_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Forget my last question you don’t have to tell me if you don’t wanna
> 
> I don’t want to push you.

> _21 November, 22:15_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Hey you ok? 
> 
> Usually you send me stuff about the Unidentified Secret Pet.

> _25 November, 22:05_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Hellooooo?


	5. The chapter that turned out WAY too long

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Original title: The chapter where Wish and Xar FINALLY meet.

Dead leaves made crunching sounds beneath Bodkin’s feet.

Xar had said he lived in the last house of the street, but the ‘street’ stopped ten minutes ago and they were still walking. If it weren’t for the tire tracks filled with even more crunched leaves, he could not imagine calling this a street at all.

“You didn’t say you lived in a forest.” Bodkin huffed.

“Quit whining. This isn’t even the real forest yet.”

It looked as real as Bodkin could imagine. Trees with red and yellow leaves stretched out in all directions, and Bodkin could faintly see the real street when he looked over his shoulder. 

“The REAL forest is behind my house. And it has bears!” Xar grinned.

“B-bears?”

“Nah. Just one.” 

Bodkin couldn’t tell whether Xar was serious or just wanted to upset him.

The path ended around the corner, and the house in front of them had to be Xar’s. An old English manor on the edge of the ‘real’ forest, hidden behind so many trees, few people knew it was there. Xar’s house was smaller, but at least as majestic as the rest of the neighborhood, and Bodkin had never been inside a house this impressive.

The creaking wooden floor of the hallway made Bodkin suspect it was haunted, but if Xar had not pissed off the ghosts, he assumed there weren’t any.

Xar had invited him over for the first time, and Bodkin said yes. His family was at work anyway and he did not feel like being home alone. Besides, not even the fan club visited Xar’s house and Bodkin was secretly very curious.

He  _should not_ feel this honoured to visit the boy who cursed teachers and had at least five not-so-secret admirers.

During the day, Xar whispered why he asked Bodkin in the first place.  He wanted to know things about Wish. It had something to do with her mother’s secretive business.

That  should not have made him more curious. Unfortunately Bodkin could not help it.

Xar locked the door behind them and led Bodkin up the stairs.

“So this is my room...”

Bodkin expected sleek black and silver furniture, lightning bolts on the duvet cover and a collection of miniature cars, or whatever boys like Xar liked.

Reality was a bit different, and he imagined that was the reason the fan club never got an invitation. Xar’s room was a hot mess (this was the predictable part), but it looked more like a cottage than something befitting the Tony Stark Jr. the fan club made Xar out to be.

Bodkin peeked around and hoped Xar wouldn’t notice. He didn’t, or he did not care.

The same cream wallpaper as the rest of the house, a row of silly spy books in terrible condition, his school bag hastily thrown into the corner and his desk stowed with so much stuff, that Bodkin could not see the desk itself.

“Not now.” Xar said to no one in particular. He draped himself on his bed, (the proximity to his laptop made Bodkin wince), and a bird flew trough the window.

Bodkin decided not to comment on that. Those things probably happened often in a Not Real forest. The fact that Xar nearly sat on his laptop was comment worthy, but Bodkin kept thar to himself. Best not to criticise him in his own house. 

Xar reached under the bed and revealed a can of Pepsi. The ease with which he did so made Bodkin believe he had an entire supply under there.

“You want one too?”

“No thanks. I’m good.”

In truth, Bodkin did not like fizzy drinks. They pricked his tongue and generally caused a sour face. Not that he’d ever admit that to Xar, of course.

Bodkin removed a few shirt from the desk chair and took a seat. He left the shirts on the already covered desk.  Paper, a single glove, pieces of bark, nails and what seemed to be a birdhouse in progress. The matching hammer lay on top of the horribly mistreated books.

_Poor paperbacks_ , thought Bodkin.

“Not now.” Xar said again, and it dawned on Bodkin that he meant the bird.

Two gulls flew into the room, circled around twice, and left. Bodkin’s eyes followed every flap of their wings.

Tiny birds flying into the house sounded plausible, logical even. Seagulls however, did not. They belonged on the beach, or the port, near the sea. (The clue was in the name, really.)

“No need to get scared. They don’t bite.” Xar said, with a hint of amusement in his voice.

“Usually.” He added with a grin.

Bodkin stared at the small bird perched on the laptop and then to the two gulls. From the corner of his eye, he spotted a dark grey stain on the ceiling, as if the curtain had caught fire once.

The small one nested on the logo and ruffled its feathers.

Why in the world Xar would have a mixed flock of birds on his window sill, was beyond him.

“Hello!” A voice came from downstairs.

“Hello father!” Xar shouted back.

He picked up the laptop with the snoozing bird and gently placed it on his nightstand. His alarm clock landed on the floor with a not so gentle crash.

“Aren’t you going downstairs?” Bodkin asked. The idea of not greeting his parents with a hug felt confusing.

He tried not to look at the loose screws rolling over the wood. They would get lost, and the clock would not be saved.

“Eh, he’s probably in his office. Best not to bother him.” Xar shrugged.

“You really don’t want a cola?”

Bodkin declined a second time, and Xar shrugged again.

“Your loss. It means you can tell me all there is to know about Wish.”

“Oh.... Right.”

The tremendous mess in Xar’s room nearly had him forget that.

“She is in our class. I help her with homework and tests. She writes monthly essays. I correct her spelling. Her mother has a large business... “

These were the obvious facts, and apparently not what he was supposed to say.

“Yes, yes, I already know that.” Xar snapped.

“Then why ask me?”  According to Bodkin, asking a question you knew the answer to yourself was a bit useless. Unless it was rhetorical, of course.

Xar ignored his question. “Does she have brothers or sisters? Notable family members?” He asked briskly.

“She has older sisters, yes.”

“What are they like?”

“I don’t know?”

“Do you know where she lives?”

“No.”

“You have never been to her house?”

“No. I don’t know her _that_ well ...” 

In truth she had never invited him. “I think she lives near the port. You know, in one of those villa’s with sea view.”

Xar nodded. He took a large swig from his can.

“Yeah, probably. Isn’t Wish, like, super rich?”

It did not take much for Xar to upset Bodkin, but it _did_ take a lot for him to show his irritation.

This would do it, because getting interrogated was not how he wished to spend his friday afternoon, and he got rather fed up with Xar’s sudden interest in his only friend.

“Oh I don’t know Xar!!! I am not your spy!” Bodkin snapped.

Copying digital files was one thing. Sharing the little he knew about his only friend’s private life another. He raised his hands in a gesture that MEANT to say _‘Xar, these questions are driving me crazy and so are you!’,_ but looked a little more like ‘ _Adsjghfkj w?’_

“YOU are rich to me, Wish is rich to me, and I don’t know anything you want to know!  Wish writes essays. I check the spelling. We always get picked last in PE. We are the leftovers and that’s why we do school projects together.”

He took a deep breath and crossed his arms. “End of story.”

Xar seemed unfazed by Bodkin’s outburst, and that only irritated Bodkin more. He sipped his Pepsi and leaned against the headboard of his bed.

“Look Bodkin,” Xar said with a sly grin, “I refuse to believe that is all you know about Wish. You look at her far too often to be _‘just essay writing partners’._

He emphasized the word ‘just’ by raising his can.

Bodkin’s cheeks flushed.

He had hoped, and foolishly believed Xar was too self obsessed to notice anything going on outside his fan club. Xar had a habit of ignoring anyone’s discomfort, and Bodkin came to believe he was unobservant to subtle body language.

Truth be told, he did look at Wish a little more often than most.

She was genuinely nice. When he smiled at her in the hallway, she smiled back, and she never mocked him or look at him like a lesser person.  Out of all his classmates, only Wish voluntarily picked the seat next to him.

He did not, however, like her the way Xar insinuated.

“I do NOT!” Bodkin exclaimed. “I just want to make sure she isn’t failing class! I also look at you to make sure YOU do not fail class!” He realised too late that raising his voice made him look even more guilty.

“I am flattered you think of me that way, but I have to disagree.” Xar answered with a smirk.

Bodkin turned even redder.  _Why did Xar always manage to squeeze a cheeky response out of everything?_

“I know what admiring eyes look like, Bodkin. I see far more of those than you.”

_Your fan club I bet._

“And I also happen to know you turn this exact shade of red when she is around.”

Bodkin ignored the jab at his somewhat lacking social life. He shifted in the chair.

“I. Do. Not. Like. Wish.”

_Not unobservant, just ignorant._

Xar raised an eyebrow, as if he enjoyed nonplussing Bodkin. “Then _boy_ do you spend a lot of time with someone you do not like.”

He threw back his head to empty his can.

_I definitely spend too much time with YOU_ , Bodkin thought.

But he did not say that. That would be impolite. “And I am NOT here so you can mock me!”

Bodkin considered standing up and going home. It was impolite to leave at random, but right now he felt like Xar deserved it.  It was also impolite to embarrass your guests, or ask kind of personal questions.

Xar threw his can into the bin with a perfect curve.  He did not break eye contact.

Bodkin would have noticed how easily Xar threw it, but he was too busy staring back. (He was right. Xar did have a supply of Pepsi under his bed, and all those empty cans ended up in the bin in the exact same way.

Footsteps downstairs ended their staring contest (which Xar had been winning), for Xar’s father heard them arguing.

“Is everything ok?” Asked the voice downstairs.

“Y-yes, it’s absolutely nothing!” Xar shouted back, and Bodkin could swear he heard Xar’s voice falter.

“You know you have to go this afternoon, and I trying to get yourself grounded will not work  _again_ !” The voice boomed.

“Yes father!” Xar hastily replied.

Bodkin wondered what it was Xar tried to avoid so much he preferred to be grounded. He knew Xar once climbed out of a window on the second floor to escape detention.

Xar turned back to face Bodkin, and he became smug self again, his smirk back on his face and his eyebrows returned to the default sarcastic asymmetry.

“Ok fine. I’ll leave whatever it is between you and Wish up to you.”

Whatever emotion had gotten into his voice a few seconds ago was gone. 

“But you have to tell me what you  do know. Do you know how many bruises I got for you?”

Bodkin scoffed.

_Unfair._

He never asked Xar to hang around him. Bodkin had expected some students would pick on him, and while he felt relieved Xar kept them at bay, he never asked him to do so. Besides, he returned the favour by sending Xar the correct answers to the homework, and sometimes he even let him peek at his answers during tests.

He had WANTED to give Xar a piece of his polite mind, telling him exactly why he disliked his rude remarks, and why he disliked his questions about Wish even more.

However, Xar’s next quip made him forget everything he wanted to say, and sent heat rising to his cheeks.

“Are you out of breath because of your medical condition, or did I do that by being your hero?”

“Wha... **NO!!!** ”

Bodkin often thought Xar had a deck of cards in his mind, and every single one he played contained a line that rendered his conversation opponent speechless. (He was the opponent, and he could never find the right words to answer.)

He prepared for the line every time, and every time he got caught off guard.

He said to himself he would not let Xar guilt trip him into telling anything he did not want to.  _ Like the story about dad’s work. _

_This time Bodkin,_ he told his own brain,  _this time you HAVE to put your foot down!_ As with most things, telling is easy, doing so different.

“Why is this so important anyway?” He asked, far politer than he intended.

Why couldn’t he ask his questions the way Xar did? Xar’s way subtly demanded an answer, instead of sounding like a squeaking baby chick asking pretty please.

“It has to do with my father’s work. Usually all he does is gloom in his office, but now he has to investigate something himself for a change. Wish’s mother, to be precise.”

Xar leaned a little closer, and Bodkin wheeled the chair a few inches back at this invasion of his personal space. One wheel squeaked like the baby chick stuck in his throat.

“They suspect she might be a criminal, and I want to make him proud by helping.”

Bodkin nodded. He did not ask who ‘they’ were. According to his dad, people who were suspicious about Sychorax Maresca Raeynes did not end up well.

He also understood the goal Xar was pursuing. (It did not warrant guilt tripping a classmate, but he knew Xar well enough to know Xar had a somewhat different moral compass.)

For Bodkin, too, wanted to make his parents proud. 

His father said he could become more than a regular policeman. The school he attended could land him a job as high police officer, or in the intelligence service. His mother even spoke of him becoming head of said intelligence service. 

It  did sound rater nice,  _Director General Bodkin Archer_ , and the thought of his parents’ pride made him smile every time.

And so, on a breezy autumn day, Bodkin told Xar the story of his father’s work.

He started his story, slowly, for he did not know how much he wanted to tell. The birds on the window still softened their chirping, and Xar sipped his second can of Pepsi. 

“My father is a policeman. A low ranking one, so he is mostly stuck with the administration. He works at industrial part of the port, to the West. A small police office. It’s the grey and blue building.”

“That old thing?” Xar did little to hide his disgust. Or was it disbelief?

Bodkin nodded. _Yes. My father works in a greasy, run down office._

_Unlike yours._

“Some fancy guy from the city police force got relocated in their building. The city office was being renovated, you see, and every important agent had to spend the meantime in a smaller police office.”

“The fancy guy got sent to your father’s location?”

“Yes.” Bodkin halted. “They got the guy a desk, and that’s when it started.”

He wasn’t sure why he was telling this to Xar.

Xar, who had a fan club of boys and girls who admired his every breath.

Xar, who had a fast tongue and the nerve to use it for not so polite words.

Xar, who probably used up an entire pot of hair gel every morning.

_Still_ , Bodkin mused, _for all his flaws, Xar was not truly mean or untrustworthy._

He sighed and continued.

“Paperwork that was missing a page. Mail for that guy that got lost. Shiny new watches on the wrists of my father’s colleagues.

Whenever my dad asked about it, he was told off because he was ‘just the guy who plays secretary’.”

“So?” Xar sat up a little straighter. Bodkin noticed he stopped drinking his cola too.

“That guy, the fancy agent with the temporary place, was investigating Sychorax Maresca Somethingsomething, and the policemen and women working there were bribed to sabotage him.”

His father had come home many times telling about all the suspicious things going on at his workplace. Eventually Bodkin had written every incident down, for a time when it would come in handy.

“Right.” Xar said. “Bribery isn’t too surprising, considering Everything Else my father has on her.”

Bodkin immediately suspected Xar was bluffing. If his short story about policemen in  that old grey building was interesting enough to stop drinking Pepsi, Everything Else had to be less spectacular than Xar tried to tell him.

“So do you know anything else about him? Name? Appearance? Did your father ever speak to him? Where is he now? Did he fail his investigation?

Xar his questions asked in rapid succession, further betraying his excitement. He sounded too eager, and Bodkin greatly enjoyed being the one with the cards for once. 

He could tell his story, and Xar would not interrupt him, talk over him, or shut him up with one of his cheeky lines.

“I don’t know a lot about the guy, mainly things about my father’s colleagues. His name was Eddie P. Jones. I don’t know what he looks like. And I guess he left? My father hasn’t heard of him since. A month ago people from the city office came to collect his stuff.”

That took the cake, and Bodkin could not help a smile.

Finally he said something that not only caught Xar off guard, but also stole his tongue!

It was exactly how Bodkin felt after one of Xar’s witty remarks.

“Holy s...” Xar muttered under his breath. “Jones? Are you sure?”

Bodkin nodded. He saw gears in Xar’s mind start to work for once.

_A three layered chocolate cake with a cherry on top._

“Why? Jones is a common surname. I know at least three different families named Jones, and this guy from dad’s work isn’t even included.”

Now it was Xar’s turn to pause. 

“Because...”

He could not finish his sentence, and this added an extra layer to Bodkin’s Cake Of Satisfaction.

When he did, he spoke slowly, as if he was unsure yet if he wanted to tell what he knew.

“Because mr. Jones is dead. Assasinated.”

His voice dropped to a whisper.

“And Sychorax is the prime suspect.”

Bodkin gulped.

His coherent thoughts collapsed like a house of cards.

_I wish I went home after school!_

_I WISH I kept my mouth shut and never told my father’s story to anyone!_

The satisfaction of having surprised Xar turned into regret.

Now he knew about a murder, and the mother of his only friend could be the culprit.

~

_Ding! Ding! Ding, Ding! Ding! DING!_

The grandfather clock in the corner announced six o clock, and returned to its infuriating ticking. One day he would open its door and stick a screwdriver between the gears.

Xar tugged the collar of his shirt. 

His father had said he was old enough to wear a tie now, and that meant buttoning up his shirt all the way to the top. He did not hate the tie as much as he expected, but he felt the fabric dig into his skin every time he took a normal breath.

Xar wondered why his father wore one every time he went to work. ( Now that he thought of it, he rarely saw his father without one.)

The sun slowly started to descend, and its rays falling trough the windows made the gold in the room sparkle. There was an awful lot of gold in the room. Whoever designed it loved to show off.

His father looked statuesque as usual, especially with the light around the edges of his silhouette. Looter was there too, and for this occasion he even left his leather jacket at home.

Both of them were in deep conversation with someone, meanwhile he was hidden behind a plant.

Xar hated these evenings.

His father was a member of this fancy club and once in a while, he had to go too.

For some reason his father repeated the reason before every visit, as if he or Looter would forget.

“I am not born into the high class circles, and neither was your mother. However, we do live in their area and it is polite to show we are as well-versed as them. Your mother was excellent at it.”

Xar always stood up a little straighter at the end, and he noticed Looter did so as well. Despite not remembering her, Xar wanted to do her justice.

When he was younger, he suggested they move. Buy a house somewhere else, where the people did not gather into a posh room with large amounts of gold. Mother was gone, so she would not mind, but his father refused and continued visiting their snooty neighbours.

However much Xar hated them, at least they all sounded genuine when speaking about his mother’s accomplishments.

From behind his gigantic terracotta pot, Xar spied on a few of the fancy club members.

Three gentlemen who could fit into a cartoon, only short of monocles, passed along small folders stamped with their logo.

“The previous winner. Philosophy. Definitely not my subject.”

“For example this: imperturbability. Doesn’t that remind you of anyone?”

Two of them chuckled.

“He should go home, truly.” The third added with a laugh.

Xar wondered why these posh people liked using big words so much they dedicated evenings to discussing them. He got enough of that at school.

Besides that, they also gossiped as if their lives depended on it, and his father was one of their common subjects.

He once poured scalding tea into the handbag of a lady who made a particularly snide remark about his father’s bald head. Most unfortunately, (and Xar genuinely felt bad for this part), the handbag did not only contain her phone, wallet and other luxuries, but also her miniature poodle. It ended as well as could be expected.

Xar was in a not so great mood. His internet friend vanished, save for this morning Bodkin was being an unhelpful dweeb as usual, and his father made both him and Looter go with him to his stupid rich neighbourhood club. 

Wearing a tie that cut off his breath made all of that a bit worse. (Perhaps it was the somewhat lacking oxygen supply to his brain. His tie was tied awfully tight, after all.)

To make up for all that misfortune, he thought satisfactory thoughts about solving the case of Suspect S.  In the past two weeks, growing frustration had turned his plan to provide his father some clues turned into a grand scheme in which he would play the key role.

He would show up at the building where his father had his meetings, the S. MARESCA RAEYNES file under his arm, including all the dirty secrets and incriminating evidence he needed to catch Suspect S. The purser would open the door for him and the Important People would gasp at his revelations. All his father’s colleagues would congratulate him with his good work, and his father with his clever son.

Looter would be speechless, and most importantly, his father would give him a hug. 

A real one.

Xar left his place behind the massive plant.

The Golden Cypress Tearoom held a few gigantic terracotta pots and every one housed a large leaved plant with excellent camouflage service. Having already spent twenty minutes at the bathroom earlier that afternoon, he scanned the room for a new place to hide. 

Last time, he got caught in the wine cellar and Looter had loudly accused him of drinking all the Pinot Noir. That was a shame, because the wine cellar was a perfect hiding place. Not too hot and no bright light to dilute his phone screen.

The kitchen perhaps? Surely he could follow one of the waiters.

“Xar! There you are.”

_Too late._

His father gestured to him and Xar joined him and Looter in the conversation.

“This one is good. The grouping of rainforest plants.” His father said.

“They got at least ten about that subject, but this is definitely the best.” Looter surpassed father’s comment.

Encanzo turned to the fourth person in their circle. “Did you know the Hennessey family has an outhouse in Brasilia?” 

In his haste to hide somewhere, Xar had not even noticed the lady his father was talking to. He felt his fathers eyes burn into his back and he did his best to smile politely.

_Oops, lady Iforgotyoursurnamealready._

The lady was nice enough to pretend not to notice his awkward attempt at a handshake.

“Oh yes, we are THE company responsible for the sourcing, processing and sale of tropical timber. At the end of this year, we expect to have cleared more sales than ever before.” The lady, apparently named Hennessey, said.

“I’d love to go there and see carnivorous plants.”

She and father continued talking about her family business, and once in a while Looter nodded to show he Pretended To Be Interested.

How casually she mentioned the amount of dead trees they sold, and how uninterested she sounded when father asked about the other plants and the animals! “Oh of course those toucans have to move. But there are plenty of other trees.”

Yet she still spoke about that piece of writing as if she cared, and the harsh contrast made Xar blurt out: 

“What’s the point in grouping rainforest plants if you cut down the trees anyway!?” 

She promptly closed her mouth mid sentence.

“Xar!” His father hissed.

He turned back to the lady and hastily offered his apologies. “Pardon my son. I admire your entrepreneurship, and I do hope you get to see the Amazon one day.”

Looter flashed Xar a mocking smile, and he stared at his shoes. One of the wolves had left a pawprint on the left one.

_I screwed up again!_

_This is why I wanted to stay behind that plant!_

He had tried many times to stay polite, to smile and say clever things without being rude.

How did his father always manage to find proper fancy words? How did his father manage to be friendly to someone who became rich by ruining the lives of animals?

It was far easier to hide. By not showing his face, he could not say the wrong things and not embarrass his dead mother and living father.

“This is the one that piqued my interest.” The lady held up another small folder.

It had been half an hour, and they moved on to another, yet equally boring, subject.

“Oh, we do not know who it is, he or she writes under an alias, but they must be a very gifted student to know so much about so many subjects.” The lady blabbed on.

_I wonder how they keep those folders apart._

Xar kept his mouth shut and tried not to react to anything Looter or the lady said.

_Every one is the same brown and has the same Golden Cypress Circle logo on it._

“One of our most consistent writers, yet anonymous. This is their latest.”

His father took the folder and passed the one he was holding to Looter.  Looter immediately started reading, in an attempt to impress lady Hennessey.

_Show off._ Xar scoffed internally. _You care just as much about this posh club as I do!_

“The pen name says ‘Wish’. No surname, merely an e-mail address.” Lady Hennessey turned to Looter to continue discussing plants.

Xar’s ears perked up.

_Wish._

He pried the small folder from Looter’s fingers and secretly thanked lady Hennessey for being a distraction.

The cover was printed on printed on fancy paper stamped with GCC.

_‘Convergent evolution in carnivorous plants.’_

Xar flipped it open, and he broke the promise he made Ariel to Never Read Those Posh Papers. His heart beat a little faster, as he recognised word after word. This was the essay Bodkin gave him! The one written by Wish Maresca Raeynes!

“We do not know the author yet, but we hope to find out.” 

The lady’s voice barely reached Xar’s ears. He could not help but grin.

These people did not know who wrote these, but he did!

He had to give the folder back to Looter, and Xar gave it up without a struggle.

A devious plan came to mind. Xar would just ask the girl about her mother.

She may not tell him willingly, but who said she had to be willing?

Surely she knew at least some of her mother’s secrets, and now he knew one of hers too.

Xar spent the entire afternoon absorbed in quiet thought, and his father congratulated him on Being Good. 

Just you wait father. Soon I’ll have a lead on suspect S, and I will be more than Good. 

_Just you wait._

~

> _21 November, 22:15_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Hey you ok? 
> 
> Usually you send me stuff about the Unidentified Secret Pet.

> _25 November, 22:05_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Hellooooo?

Wish stood behind a shed in the schoolyard. Said shed conveniently prevented the sun from reaching her phone and turning it into a blank. The sand under her feet let her pace around without anyone hearing, and the shed on one side and the fence on the other kept watching eyes away.

School had ended twenty minutes ago, but she still had her finger on the tumblr app.

Open.

Read messages.

Close.

Open.

Read messages.

Close.

The last one was from yesterday evening.

She had not replied to any of them, (even though she was dying to hear the story about Ariel-the-large-and-mischievous-gull.) Whoever it was, attended the school whose shed she hid behind right now. Whoever it was, could possibly know her name.

She had gotten used to being someone no one truly knew. A name under an essay, a classmate no one ever talked to.

To have someone _know_ her , made her nervous beyond words.

In the past two weeks she had frantically read and reread the entire four month chat, looking for clues that could lead them to her.

So far she had not revealed anything concrete, like the fact that she could see the sea from her bedroom window, or that she had an eyepatch. Just that she had six older sisters, a mother who was disappointed in her and a pet she never named the species of.

(Wish doubted if ‘living spoon’ was a species to begin with.)

Spoon could be the first of his kind!

_Ligula inflectentis W._

A rare variety of the  _Ligula exanimi_ ,  characterised by excited movements, metal hugs and sarcastic glances.  Only one individual is known. 

She secretly hoped it was Heliotrope, a sweet girl who fed the doves in the schoolyard. They rarely talked, but Wish could imagine her with a whole flock of birds on her arms.

Sadly, her friend’s url suggested otherwise.

Wish looked up.

She heard footsteps on the schoolyard side of the shed, headed in her direction.

No one ever looked behind this shed, which was why Wish liked it there. Very quiet, flanked on three sides by the shed, the fence and a tree, and in the forgotten corner of the schoolyard. Only Bodkin knew she often hid here, and he had gone to the school library.

She put her phone away. If it was a teacher in a bad mood, she would do best not to look guilty of whatever  _standing-in-a-place-you-shouldn't_ was called in the school rules.

Bodkin would know what it was called. He could list all the rules out of his head. In order.

It was not a teacher, but one of her classmates.

The boy was named Xar, and Wish knew he had a rather long surname.

Xar always had a numerous amount of students surrounding him, and while he never paid her a lot of attention, Wish feared the day his eye would fall on her and he would send his little gang to mess around.

“Hey Wish, I kind of want to ask you something.”

_Loitering. That was the word._

He was a bit taller than her, though the majority of the height he had over her was in his hair. She could look him straight in the eye.

“Sure?”

A hidden corner of the schoolyard without pavement was not the most obvious place to talk to her. Especially not since he could easily see her after a class. 

The boy took a step towards her and looked around to see if anyone else was listening. “I know your mother is Sychorax, and you need to tell me a few things about her.”

“What???”

In her confusion, she forgot the proper reply of ‘I beg your pardon’, or ‘excuse me’. Out of all the questions this boy could ask her, this was by far the most unexpected. No one ever asked about her mother. (Most people did not ask her anything in general.)

Xar Long-Surname took another step towards her and Wish internally scolded herself for stepping back too. 

_I am sorry mother. I know I should never show such weakness._

“I do not know what you are talking about and I do not know anything you want to hear.”

Xar leaned over and glanced around again, vaguely resembling someone trying to sell her stolen bootleg goods.

“I’m sure you do. You see, I have a good reason for you to tell me.” A corner of his mouth twitched upward, as if he liked asking her troublesome questions.

“I do not think so.” She said in the sternest voice possible. Which was not very stern, for Wish felt a bit unsteady on her feet.

Usually she walked away when students bothered her, but this boy was asking about her mother, and mentions of her mother tended to have that effect. She definitely did not want to know what that ‘good reason’ was.

“You’ll change your mind. I just happen to know a thing or two you won’t like me to tell.” He grinned. The boy still had his hands in his pockets, casually leaning on one leg, as if blackmailing fellow students was something he did on the daily.

(Perhaps he did, and that was why he had his gang. Who knew?)

She had dismissed the first thoughts of blackmail as nonsense, made up by her weak and fearful mind.  His second remark made her think again.

‘I know a thing or two you won’t want me to tell.’  An implied threat.

_No. Of course he is not threatening!_ Wish told herself. Her mother would find idea of a small boy like Xar being threatening laughable.

The idea of his gang coming after her, however, did make her heart beat faster.

Their possible wrath, curses or deriding jeers were far scarier than anything this boy could do.

She looked back at him, where he still waited for her answer.

“I don’t have anything else to say, and I’m going now.”

She crossed her arms around her bag and stepped away.

“No, no, not yet.”

He put his hand against her shoulder and pushed her back against the shed.

She had had enough lessons from her mother’s private tutor to act on instinct. A well aimed kick against his shin did the trick and the punch against his jaw made him fall over. 

Xar Long-Surname landed on the ground with a hollow thud.

_Oh goodness! I actually hit someone!_

Wish felt a bit of pride, and if it weren’t for the boy laying on the ground in front if her, she would have smiled. If only her mother was here to see.

_Next step. Right. A weapon._

She opened her bag to search for the knife her mother had given her. Carrying sharp goods was strictly forbidden, yet for some reason the teachers never checked her or her sisters.

The boy groaned, and when he looked up he saw Wish struggling to open her switchblade.

“You’re mad!” He screamed, and Wish could swear she heard a hint of panic.  His eyes flitted from left to right. 

The boy got up, one hand grabbing the wrist with the knife. Wish feared he aimed the second at her face. _I cannot explain a bruise on my head to mother._

He pulled the collar of her cardigan, and she did not react in relief. A few of the buttons sprung.

Oddly enough, she did hear the hollow snapping sounds of the threads.  It was followed by a quiet thump of metal hitting the ground.

The boy tossed her aside and clumsily picked up the (now opened) knife.

If she had a weapon, she could lose it too. That was something she had not thought of, and the idea of a boy she just made hopping mad threatening her with her own weapon, did not feel very pleasant.

Neither did the numbing fog in her head.

He glanced at the knife, at her, and then at the knife again, as if he was not sure what to do with it either.

Wish took the few seconds to remember what she should do.

It was in chapter 17 of her Hand to Hand Combat book, beating an opponent unarmed. Unfortunately she did not read that one very well, because her tutor had shouted she would never learn anything, and the letters became wobbly trough her tears. She tried her best to remember, but the fog made the letters even more wobbly.

Wish rubbed the side of her head.

_I could hook around leg around his from where I’m sitting, and he will fall over._

“HEY!!!” Someone shouted. The student counselor had never raised his voice, and both if them turned to face him.

“What is going on here?” He said with a grimace.

Xar was quick to shout, “Nothing!” 

“I would not call that nothing, young man.” 

He confiscated the knife and Wish was secretly relieved she had not been caught holding it.

“Now, please tell me what got the two of you going at each other’s throats.”

Unwittingly, Wish glanced at the boy, and for some reason he looked back.

“I-it was nothing sir.” She tried to keep her voice as steady as possible.

_I cannot let my mother find out I lost a fight in the schoolyard._ She would get a long speech, The Look, and possibly extra lessons in hand to hand combat. 

Wish _expected_ Xar to tell-tale about her violent swing to his head and hotly deny that the knife was his.

Instead she was genuinely surprised when Xar agreed. “She is right, sir. It was nothing.”

To her great relief, the student counselor let them go, and Wish wanted nothing more than to rush home. 

She passed her mother in the hallway and had to repeat her excuse.

“What happened to you? Your hair looks worse than the usual mess, and your cardigan is missing two buttons.”

“It was nothing mother. I fell over and hurt myself.”

Wish closed the door of her bedroom and let Spoon out of her nightstand. She spent the entire afternoon petting him. 

He hopped on her shoulder to soothe her, and did cartwheels to try to cheer her up, though her thoughts still ran haywire.

She would get comments on her lack of homework, but the letters and numbers melted on the page whenever she looked at them. They usually did that, but today it was even worse.

Before bed, she turned away the evening maid and got Spoon a small pillow to sleep on.

> _26 November, 22:12_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Please don’t tell me you died
> 
> I know I say a lot of dumb shit but plz tell me how you’re doing.

Even Spoon, who slept on the nightstand to keep watch, could not prevent the bad dreams.

In her dream the boy easily pushed her over.

She struggled, but for some reason her arms never reached him.

_Weightless._

_Nothing._

Her back hit the wall of the shed and she fell on the ground.

_No pain._

_Merely fear._

He started to ask his questions, but the voice was not the boy’s anymore. It was her mother holding the knife, and every word she said left a deep red cut on her skin.

“You were afraid!”

“Why are you so weak, Wish?”

Her mother stood motionless as a statue, her arms perfectly still on her sides, one hand holding the closed knife.

“You could not use this.”

“You let a small boy beat you!”

She bit her lip to prevent herself from crying, fingers pressed to her bare arms to stop the bleeding. 

_Where did my cardigan go?_

“I made sure you were taught how to defend yourself!”

“Is this the result?”

_No, mother, no..._ she wanted to say.

“Is this all you can do?”

_I swear it, mother... No... No..._

Wish opened her eyes, the word ‘no’ still on her lips.

Spoon bowed towards her and the bowl of his head lit up.  She stroked his head in an attempt to steady her trembling hands.

_No blood._

Her heavy breaths turned to sighs.

_No blood._

Wish’s eyes flitted from one side to another.

Just her room. Her curtains softly moving in the wind. Her desk with nearly-breaking chair. The closed door with light coming trough the keyhole.

Spoon standing on her pillow. 

He hopped up and down, twisting and making bowing motions.

“I know you cannot speak, but that is alright.” Wish wishpered. “No need to be sad. You do not have to talk to me, in fact I like to be the talking one for once.”

Spoon tilted his head and his little eyes lit up.

Her phone buzzed. 

“Can you move aside a tiny bit? I think I know who this is.” 

_Someone to talk to._

_Someone who COULD speak._

Spoon hopped aside and dimmed his light to match that of her phone.

“Thank you so much!” Wish whispered.

She opened tumblr, for she really wanted to answer.

To tell someone about today. That she was terrified the boy’s gang would make her life at school a living hell. That she should have let him beat her so he had no reason to retaliate. 

How she feared her mother’s disappointment far more than either.

There was only one person left she wished to tell those truths. ( The first one was Spoon, who did not officially count as person, and who knew the truth already anyway.)

The one person she trusted with the truth was also a person who possibly knew her name. Perhaps it was one of the arrogant boys or girls from class 3B. Or someone from Xar’s gang, who would turn against her for punching him. It could be Bodkin...

It would be easiest if it was Bodkin.

> _27 November, 03:15_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Did I say something wrong? If I did, I apologise for whatever it may be.
> 
> Wait if you died, you couldn’t tell me
> 
> And I don’t think anyone knows your password...

She looked at the time. A quarter past three.

_I guess you can’t sleep either huh?_

Darkness has a way of twisting arguments, both for better and worse.

A little bit of moonlight fell trough her curtains to show a quiet world. No one awake to hear her. No one around to see her send a message.

The madness that made her friend say dumb things at night caught her too.

_What were the chances of this person knowing her? The school was small, but still large enough to remain anonymous._

_What if she was wrong and there was a different school with a different island with lighthouse, and she ignored her friend because of this vague assumption? Even if it was someone she knew, they would never be able to prove it was her._

Wish lay back on her pillow, but did not put her phone away.

If she tried to sleep she would only cry, while there was someone on the other side of her screen, right now, who could relieve at least some of her misery. 

And she could not resist. Her fingers found the keyboard while she considered things to write.

> Sorry it’s been two weeks.

No. Backspace.

> I am so sorry for not replying.

Backspace.

Eventually she typed:

> I am not dead, but I do want to tell you something, even though it’s late. I fought someone too.

Her finger reached for the small arrow button when she returned to her senses. Or was it lack of sense?

She did not _need_ to talk to anyone. Spoon lay curled up on her chest, her breathing had returned to normal, and she had had a nightmare. Nothing more. She may fall asleep crying, but that was just a Bad Feeling. Nothing more.

Deciding impulsive things because of Feelings was a weakness her mother disapproved of. There was no reason to _need_ anyone right now.

Wish pressed backspace until all the words were gone again, but the questions she wanted to ask remained.

> _26 November, 03:28_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Still I want to talk to you again
> 
> Maybe you got grounded and your mom took your phone for two weeks...
> 
> When you get it back you’ll probably laugh because I’m this concerned.
> 
> But I mean it.

_I want to know how you do it._

_How do you sleep after fighting someone?_

_How do you keep it secret from your father?_

> _27 November, 04:24_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Just don’t be dead ok?
> 
> _27 November, 04:50_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Please...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I need a reason for them to dislike each other (since there is no wizards/warriors conflict), and an even bigger reason for them to be friends.
> 
> Bodkin is kind of the third wheel and since they both already know him, they need to be even better friends with each other.


	6. Everyone gets in Trouble (The nature of the trouble might vary)

The boy in the seat next to Xar tapped his foot on the ground. Both of them were waiting in front of the student counselor’s room, both for very different reasons.

He wished to ask about his £1,25 late fee on a school library book. Xar was there for threatening a classmate with a knife.

Xar rubbed his chin. That girl had beaten him into the dirt and he had a bruise on his jaw as annoying reminder. The birds on his window sill still excitedly chattered about it.

When Bodkin asked, he told him he’d landed unfortunately during a backflip.  Xar could not do a backflip, but Bodkin didn’t know that.

He would not want anyone to know he lost a fight from a girl like Wish!  She even pulled a knife on him!  (Not really, since she hadn’t managed to open it, but that did not make Xar feel any better.)

He’d lost an arm wrestling match to Leafsong many times, but she was a year older and a fervent volleyball player.  That tiny matchstick of a girl in white skirts however, was not a worthy opponent.

It had been such a good plan.  Walk up to her after school and ask the question straight.  His father’s posh neighborhood club did not know their essays were written by Wish, which meant she purposely kept it secret.  One secret for another.

“No, no, not yet.” He had said.

A lot of thought had gone into sentence that would follow it. Xar wanted it to sound serious, but not dramatic. Not too blunt, but still clear enough so he wouldn’t need repeat it.

“That good reason is the following: I know those people from the Golden Cypress Circle, and I’m sure they’re dying to know whose essays they’ve been reading.”

He did not get to say it, because she floored him in a split second.

The student counselor opened the door and held it.

“Xar Ataraxeiavanqaj.”

The student counselor may be a small man, but he was the only grown up who pronounced Xar’s name correctly, and the only one who did not bring out the absolute worst in them both.

“Caliburn sir, I swear it was not what it looked like.” Xar began. 

He entered the room and took the seat intended for the student. One time he had walked around the desk and sat in the counselor’s seat. (That time he had been sent there for sitting in another student’s chair, and wanted to prove the rule ‘You cannot sit in a seat that belongs to someone else’ was not set in stone.)

Caliburn sighed deeply while taking his seat.  He sighed a lot, particularly when dealing with Xar. Once, he said Xar was the cause of the ever growing bald spot on his head.  The knife lay on the desk between them.

“I _should_ tell you about our rules on intolerable behaviour and refer to part 1.3A of the guidebook.” He started.

Xar was sent to the student counselor’s office so often, he knew exactly what would happen. “ And then mention the threat of getting expelled.”

“Exactly. You know the drill.” Another sigh. “You also know I am only on my post half of the time.”  (Caliburn was the rather eccentric philosophy teacher the other half of the time.)

“I know you mean well. I know you stick up for your friends, even if that means being unfriendly to others.  I also know the students you antagonize are not the friendliest themselves, which is why defend you, and keep the damage you do to a minimum.”

_Damage._

The word rang in Xar’s ears.  His father often said good people do not cause destruction. Destruction is easy, and good people do not pick the easy way.  Yet here he was again, in the student counselor’s office, for doing damage. The implied disappointment made his shoulders and hair droop.

“But Wish...” The student counselor sighed deeper still. “I have never heard her say a bad word to, or about you, and I would like an explanation on why you picked her this time.”

“I-I...” Xar tried to think of a reasonable explanation. 

_I wanted to ask her something tricky but then she punched me?_ _I pranked her and she did not see the humour?_ _It was a joke that went wrong?_

He found he couldn’t.

Caliburn continued his questions less amused.  “That brings me to my next question: Neither of you could tell me what was going on. You both insisted it was nothing.”

“But it was nothing sir! Both of us said it!” Xar still was not sure why she insisted it was nothing, but it was very convenient at the moment. “You can ask her if you want!”

It was a bit tricky to say such a thing, but rich little Wish did not jump at the opportunity of getting him expelled when they were caught red handed, and Xar was nearly sure it meant she would repeat her lie.

The student counselor did not react, and continued in his stern-yet-tired voice.  “She was on the ground, obviously in pain, and you stood over her with that in your hand.” At ‘that’ he tapped the knife.

“If a report or complaint is made, it will classify as Act of Violence, not as a bit of play fighting.”

Xar gulped.  _An Act of Violence._ An Act of Violence was one of the most severe offenses and could get him expelled immediately.  The headmaster would call home, he would be sent from school and he would have to go to his father’s office to explain himself.

Caliburn did not react again.  “And YOU know the other school counselor does not take kindly to violence.”

The other school counselor did not take kindly to Xar in general.  It usually ended in a mutual shouting competition, sometimes morphing into a cursing competition instead.

“Most of the time I try to solve matters without sending you to the headmaster or calling your father but if Wish, or her parents file a complaint, there is little I can do.”

Xar was most grateful for that. Caliburn kept his trouble away from his father, and he made sure he always called mr. Caliburn ‘sir’, no matter his anger.

They turned their attention back to the knife on the table.  “We will keep this. A weapon like this does not belong anywhere near this school.”

“It’s not mine sir.” Xar tried to say as convincing as possible.  He did not have a convincing excuse for the fight, and he realised he did not have a convincing excuse for holding the knife either.

Caliburn chuckled.  “No Xar, don’t worry about that. I know very well the knife isn’t yours.”

He opened the switchblade and twisted it in his hand.  “High quality metal. The grip is inlaid with marble and gold.”

 _Typically something for Wish,_ Xar thought.

He started to wonder what kind of knife Caliburn expected him to have. One of those combat knives, hopefully, with a serrated edge.

“If this incident  does get a follow up, I will at least be able to state the knife was not yours.” Caliburn closed the knife and put it in his drawer.  “You may go.”

“I can leave?” Xar raised his eyebrows.  No lecture on karma, no detention and no angry headmaster?  He could not believe his luck.

Before Caliburn could change his mind, Xar raced to the door and shouted “Bye sir! And a good day!”

The student counselor sighed one last time, and said: “Please, Xar, do yourself a favour and do not get in trouble with Wish Maresca Raeynes.”

Once outside, he ran into Heliotrope, who was headed to the school library.  He walked with her and let her distract him with a funny story about their geography teacher. The man was apparently so fond of detentions, only three students showed up, for the rest was in the detention room on his orders.

She also helpfully reminded him they had a biology test coming up in two days (this was new information for Xar and he made a mental note to ask Bodkin for his summary), and a presentation assignment for history. Schedule and subjects to be announced.

They arrived at the right building, and had to climb 73 steps to get to the door.

The boy who once threatened to fight him till he cried for his mommy leaned against the banister. He never got to punch Xar properly, and the stares of his classmates still stung.  “Hey! Taking yet another one of your sad followers to the library?” He said.

“Don’t YOU ever get tired of standing around here doing nothing?” Xar replied. “ Or are you trying to avoid me? It’s been two months since you ran away.”

The boy took two steps toward them, and Heliotrope shuffled a little backwards. If they were to fight, she did not want to fall down the stairs.

“I am looking for you! These fists will hit your face! And this mouth will insult you until you cry!” The boy hissed.*

Xar did not react, for he was not very impressed.  “Your fists are more useless than an easy bake oven with a power outage,” he retorted with a smirk, “And alphabet soup makes more sense than whatever comes out of your mouth.”

The boy opened his mouth to say something, and closed it again.

Heliotrope giggled.  “I always wonder how you think of that! You come up with something funny AND insulting!”

Xar grinned and put his hand on her shoulder.  “That’s why I’m me.”

Heliotrope smiled again and then they went separate ways.  She pushed the door open and disappeared into the world of paper and knowledge.  He turned around and went down the 73 steps.

”Leaving immediately? I didn’t think you could read anyway!” The boy shouted in an attempt to return the insult. It did not have the desired effect.

Xar kept walking and did not look back.

“Kiss my sass.”

And then he gave him the finger.

~

On a peaceful evening, Wish sat at her desk. None of her sisters were home, and she appreciated the quiet.

The worry from her fight with Xar had died down. Three days later her mother did not suspect a thing, which consequentially stopped the nightmares. She had thrown a punch her mother would approve of, Xar had not said a word, and after one conversation mr. Caliburn promised he would not bring it up. Problem solved, case closed.

The more pressing matter was her new essay. The December theme was announced this morning and, as usual, she started early to leave plenty of time for improvements and spelling corrections.

> 29 November 2018
> 
> While Isaac Newton is often credited with introducing the concept of gravity-

Backspace, backspace, backspace.

> The concept of gravity has been questioned long before-

Backspace, backspace.

Wish rested her hand on her head and stared at the nearly blank screen. The date stared back at her. This months essay theme was ‘the laws of nature’ and physics was not Wish’s strong suit.

She closed her laptop and went to her bedside to check up on Spoon, who slept soundly in a drawer.

Wish shut the drawer as soon as she heard a sound. A second later, her mother walked trough the doorway.

“Wish, have you been here all this time?” She asked. The tone of her mother’s voice resembled a sliding glacier. 

Whatever this conversation was about, Wish knew she would not like it. “Yes mother.”

“Surely you have heard that I will show you The Company’s newest creation today.”

Wish blinked. She had not.

The Company was an agglomeration of her mother’s many businesses. She had acquired the small, unknown family business of her father and turned it into a multinational organisation. 

Besides creating consumer electronics, electric cars and computer software, she also held shares in social media platforms, space agencies, oil companies and whatever caught her attention.

As CEO, she was the driving force behind both the profits and innovations made. Any reasonable estimate of her mother’s fortune started at 5 billion, though no one knew the exact number.

“Your sisters are already in their cars.” She snapped.

And so Wish rushed out of the house. She grabbed her bag and her coat and dropped one of her gloves in haste. She dearly hoped her mother would not be the one to find it.  Only two cars were still waiting, one of them hers and one her mother’s.

Hello Manuel!” She greeted her driver.

“Hello miss Wish!” 

He closed the door behind her and added her destination to the navigation panel.  “WhiteStar 7 on the move.” He said to the intercom.

A good hour later they stopped in front of The Company’s local manufacturing plant.  Her six sisters already waited in line, all of them wearing two gloves, and all of their cars neatly parked in a row.

“You’re late!” Drama hissed when Wish stood next to her.

“You should listen when Madam Dreadlock tells you something!” Unforgiving added.

Madam Dreadlock was Wish and her sisters’ private tutor.  After school, they followed lessons in Formal Speech, Weapon Handling, international relations and hand to hand combat, most unfortunately all taught by madam Dreadlock.

“Now that we are all here, we should try to win back the time we lost.” Sychorax snapped.

Wish clutched her hands together and pressed until she could see the shape of her nails in her one glove. Six pair of angry eyes glanced at her before following their mother.

A woman at the door opened it for them, another one took their coats, and a man in white suit led them trough the factory.

Every employee knew who they were, and every one moved out of the way to let them pass. Those who were not aware of their visit work turned their heads to watch.

As last in line and the shortest, Wish could not see the path ahead. One moment they were inside a quiet hallway, the next on an elevated pathway above the factory hall where robotic sounds filled the air.

She watched her mother’s heels click on the grate. Wish knew that of she were to try, she would get her heel stuck and lose her shoe.

The man stopped in front of a heavy iron door and swiped his ID to open it. He did not follow them, instead he swiped his card again and the door closed.  Wherever we are, Wish thought,  This space has to be large. The sound of the iron door closing echoed for nearly a minute.

“Finally.” Sychorax said.  Her voice still sounded freezing cold and Wish wished she would not cause any more trouble.

The spotlights switched on the second her mother raised her hand, revealing a perfectly streamlined vehicle.

Somewhere a nervous technician watched her mother closely to get every cue. Hand raised meant turn on the light, and do not be a second late.

Wish did not look at the sleek white car for long. Her bag made a soft, tingling sound, not loud enough for anyone else to hear. (When presented with a new car intending to retail 200 grand, you tend not to notice small tingly sounds.)

Spoon was with her! She had not closed the drawer, so he could have climbed out when her mother entered her room.

_He must have hopped into my bag, thinking I was going for a walk!_

“Fully electric. Four seats. The fastest in the world.” Her mother named some other features and let them open the handle-less doors to look inside. “We currently call it Roadster, though I am open to suggestions.”

Wish’s heart beat a little faster in her chest.

_Please do not jump out!_

In her bag, Spoon moved around, and she gave it a few gentle pats.

_I know it’s evening, and you should be dancing on my desk right now, but THERE IS NO DESK._

She nervously hopped from one foot to the other. 

“You will be able to sync it to your iPhones, as major step towards intergrating two of my main businesses.”

While her oldest sister took a test drive in the car, the technician on duty made the spotlight follow the car as she drove.

“Won’t the glass roof make it vulnerable to helicopters and drones?” Vengeance asked.  Sychorax gave Vengeance one of her rare smiles.

“It would, which is why the ones for our personal use will... WISH!!!” Her mother’s head snapped to the right, where Wish shifted her weight to her other leg once more.

Wish froze.

“Why are you standing like  that , with one bending leg like weak little girl.”

“It’s...” she gulped “I think it’s my bad leg mother.”

“Again? You should suffer from your limp anymore. That’s what the surgery was for.”

Wish would say her mother’s voice softened, even though it merely changed from -20 to -10. (Wish’s definition of ‘soft’ was a little different than most.)

“The doctor said the limp could bother me again if I was not careful. And I fell down the stairs yesterday.” Wish said. Her doctor _did_ tell her her limp could cause trouble again if she used it too much. However, Wish never had to walk long distances.

Sychorax swallowed her anger. Her voice still ten degrees below zero, but in a calm way. “ In that case, you should be more careful. And stand up a little straighter. Madam Dreadlock will have to work on your absolutely tragic deportment  before the Turn Of The Century gala.”

Wish wanted to lower her head and pretend she was not there, but that was exactly the thing her mother did not want her to do. She straightened her back, but could not prevent her hands from nervously clinging together.

“Yes mother.”

“You certainly have to make up for that, preferably also before the Turn Of The Century gala. You already wear an eyepatch.”

“I am sorry mother.” Wish mumbled. She was not sure what she apologised for. She never  intended to get a cross eye, OR to make it return every so often.

“I know you have to wear them because of your persistent Strabismus Esotropia. Even so, you can still do your best to be a proper CEO in the making.”

“I understand mother.”

“This way, you are no future leader of The Company, but an incompetent disgrace.”

Wish bit her lip to stop herself from crying.  She felt the eyes of five of her sisters burn in her back. (The sixth one was still test driving in the Roadster.) They were silent now, but she knew they would not let her forget about this anytime soon. If she cried, things would only become worse.

Sychorax finally stopped her withering, and Wish untangled her hands. Her palms stung from the unwitting pressure.

“If you cannot spell, at least speak properly. Why don’t you describe the factories where my electronics are made? And mind your speech.”

“They are all established on another continent.” Wish said. 

_I can do this. I have heard madam Dreadlock repeat this a million times._

“As CEO you made sure,” Wish stopped to correct herself, “you _ensured_ a uniquely high living standard for your employees.” Formal Speech was important, and her mother nodded at the self correction. 

“Precisely. I offer them higher wages, an iPad after three years of satisfactory employment, quality housing for rent and free time at set times. Please elaborate why. You know the right words, but say them more confidently.”

She did not know what to answer to that. ‘Elaborate’ was not one of the questions madam Dreadlock taught her to answer. Madam Dreadlock’s questions always had _one_ answer , _one_ solution , and  _one_ way to say it.

“Because... it is polite and nice?” It was the best answer she could think of.  Wish tried a smile, but her mother did not sound any more content. The approval of her Formal Speech from a minute ago vanished.

“It is clever. If you want to make it in this world you have to be clever, not nice.”  Sychorax berated. 

“When they say my name they will do so in gratitude. When someone asks them to steal or spy, they will not betray me. The local officials do not not impede any of my projects.”

Sychorax took a deep breath and made Stern-And-True-Justice stop the car.

“You and your sisters will inherit The Company, but I cannot imagine how, if you keep failing to see the simplest logic.”

Wish’s head drooped. Behind her, Tenacity and Unrelenting exchanged mocking glances.

“We are progress. We are the future. Remember that. In the world you and your sisters will build, I will be remembered as pioneer.”

Back home, Wish immediately returned to her room, tripping yet another time on the stairs.  Spoon swayed to the left and right to stretch. Wish’s bag could barely hold her phone, Spoon had to bend over to fit inside.

“I am so sorry you got stuck, but mother cannot see you.” She whispered. 

Spoon tilted his head.

”Of course you wanted to stay with me to make sure I would be fine, but I am. Really! The fight with that boy was days ago, you do not have to worry.” And then she gave him a kiss.

When Wish was sure Spoon had not suffered a lack of oxygen, she let herself fall on her bed. Today had taken more of her nerves than she was willing to admiy, and Wish needed some advice.

> How do I keep USP from sneaking around?  Today he nearly got caught by my mother, I lied that my leg hurt but now mother is disappointed in me again.

She already opened her laptop when she realised she could not.

~

Bodkin came home late to the smell of simmering food. He had stayed in the school library most of the afternoon to study for biology. He needed a high grade to push his subject average from a 7.6 to an 8.

“Hello dear!” Bodkin’s mom greeted.

“Hi mom!”

His mom gave him a kiss on his head and herded him towards the living room. “You’re just in time for dinner! And papa is home too!”

‘Papa’ was her father, and Bodkin’s grandfather. He stood up to help Bodkin’s mother carry the food.

Bodkin sat down on his chair and cleared the table of newspapers and pens. He noticed everyone was home. His mom, dad, grandma and even grandpa, who was usually at work in the evening.

“The carrots taste good.”

“Thank you dear.”

“Is there butter mixed with them?”

“Yes.”

They were awfully quiet.  Even his mom did not babble about the weather, the groceries or her work.

Usually she told silly little stories about the rain that made the flowers next to their doorstep bend, or the person she spoke to while buying vegetables.  When he was little he happily told his own stories, but as he got older he found her stories did not grow with him.

He had told her the story of the Trojan war he had to learn for Classics Education, and she asked to point out Troy on a map, her hands covering her mouth at the terrible fates of the poor Trojans.  She could not help him with his homework either. Or his class presentations, for she did not know how to make a PowerPoint.

In the last year, Bodkin came to see that his mom was not the brightest.

“So uh....” he tried to break the silence, “who gave you the evening off grandpa?”

Grandpa was home every morning, read the newspaper and did house chores every morning, and went to work after lunch. On tuesdays, when both his parents were at work early, grandpa would bake him an egg for breakfast.

“Bodkin...” His grandfather said with an unknown pain in his voice. “Your father has gotten a letter of dismissal.”

“He got fired on the spot.” Grandma unhelpfully clarified.

“Mama, please... Can’t you.... Uh, please, don’t say it like that where Bodkin-“ His mother hushed.

Grandma cut her daughter off. “Hush my dear, Bodkin here is not deaf. And he is clever enough to understand the truth.”

Out of all his family members, Bodkin’s grandma had the sharpest wit.  He knew she once pulled an all nighter teaching herself how microsoft office worked, and explained it to him the next day over a triple espresso.

His father, who had not said anything except for ‘Hello’, told the rest.  “This morning I arrived at work, but the place was filled with people in suits. Intelligence service agents, a whole lot of them.  Every single one of us got a letter, twenty minutes to pack our things, and then we had to go.”

Bodkin looked at his father, who slowly shook his head in sorrow. His hand unwittingly clenched around his fork.

“Even the janitors got sacked. I think it might be because of You Know Who.”  His father whispered the last three words, as if they would only bring more misfortune.

_She_ was the one no one ever named. The name none of them dared say out loud.

Bloody Mary. Voldermort. _Sychorax Maresca Raeynes._ Potato.

“Of course it is because of her. Anyone can see it.” Grandma said.

The carrots on Bodkin’s fork fell back on his plate.

In his thoughts, he vigorously reached for something that could have made  Her want to fire his dad, and he recounted every story his dad ever told about You Know Who.  He came up with nothing, except for his own faults.

_ Did I say anything wrong to Wish?  Was it because I told Xar?  I KNEW I should never have told this story to anyone! _

His foot tapped the floor in anxious expectation.

Ever practical grandpa told about the impact on their lives. (Besides the fact that Sychorax Ma- _SHE_ was influential enough to end the careers of at least a dozen police officers at once.) “All four of us had a part time job, now it’s three. We need to go talk to our boss and try to get some more hours.”

“There... There might be consequences.” His mom muttered. “Things might... Things might change.”

The way she did so made Bodkin’s foot increase speed.

“For you too, Bodkin.” His father continued. “I know we do not have golden mountains, neither do we have reason to complain of course, but that might change.”

“And not towards the first.” Grandpa said.

Bodkin nodded cautiously and tapped his foot on the floor faster still.  “I understand.”

_I understand it might be my fault. I understand everyone is now in trouble._

Whatever his mom and dad may struggle with, he would do his best to help. The five of them had lived in their current home since Bodkin’s birth, and he would not wish it any other way.

“Either way we will have to look into the paperwork. Just to be sure.” Grandpa added.

His dad looked at his father in law and then to his wife. “Perhaps you mother can do something?”

“I have done the administration of an entire business. Of course I can!”  Grandma winked at Bodkin.  “Leave it to your ol’ granny! You are good with numbers too, maybe you can help me?”

Both his mom and dad nodded in approval. The thought that he may be able to make a difference, made him smile for the first time that evening.

“Remember how I got one of those iPhones too?” Bodkin’s dad said with the voice of someone who got a Very Good Idea.  “I have only used it for a few days, but we can still sell it.”

He retrieved the phone from one of the bookcase drawers. They plugged it in and were greeted by the apple logo.  The entire family gathered around, for they had never used a phone worth 500 pounds.

“We have to reset it, then it will be as new.” Grandma said. “Bodkin dear, can you find how that works?”

Bodkin took his own phone, a small outdated model used mainly for his school schedule, from his bag.

“To reset entirely, go to settings. It’s the grey gear icon.” He read from his screen.

They found the right button reassuringly quick. His father tapped it, but nothing happened.

“No, try again.”

His dad tapped the gear icon again. 

And again.

And again.

Still no reaction.  None of them had ever used an iPhone, so naturally, they did not have a clue what they did wrong.

The screen turned black. 

“Did we crash it?” Grandma asked.

No one replied. Five nerve wrecking seconds later it restarted, displaying the logo again. The entire family let out a collective sigh. The logo disappeared, and the word ‘HELLO’ showed up on screen.

“Perhaps it was the voice recogniser? Sir? Or Sire?” Grandpa suggested.

Bodkin wasn’t sure, but they had done at least  something right. “Probably. It is resetting, so I think it’s ready to be sold.”

The rest of the family shrugged. Everything worked out, and since they were going to sell it, it did not matter which button did the trick.

Bodkin’s grandpa took his phone and searched for ‘what is a second hand apple phone 6 worth?’ “ Most are about 200 pounds!” He exclaimed.

Finally, Bodkin’s foot relaxed and came to a standstill next to the other.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *He thought about something clever to say about easy bake ovens, but came up with nothing. As Wish noted online, he was not the most original curser, and this was the next best thing.
> 
> We know nothing about Bodkin’s family besides that they have been bodyguards, so here’s a bit of speculation ^^


	7. The three of them are in class for once

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> They haven’t been in class since the first chapter or something...
> 
> AKA: A chapter that is only mildly interesting  
> I feel like this is mostly a filler chapter, don’t expect too much

> _29 November, 17:56_
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> So did I tell you what Squeezjoos did today?

Xar looked to the left, where Squeezjoos napped on the remains of his alarm clock. So far Squeezjoos did not do anything specifically, but there were still six hours left in this day. 

He hit ‘send’.  It had been three weeks, 21 days since the last message and he felt more miserable by the day.

What if his friend had a car accident? No one knew about their tumblr and no one world bother to tell him about their death. Now that he thought of it, his friend never mentioned having real life friends at school.

And what about USP? After a car accident, there would be no one to care for him either.

Xar remembered the photo of the burnt out car he saw in his father’s case file. He had never seen his friend, nor USP, but the idea that they ended up like that photo made him think uncomfortable things he did not want to think.

An unknown boy or girl, around his age, dead in a car. The pet trapped inside their bag as the car burned.  A photograph ending up in one of those files.

Lost in thought, he did not hear Looter’s footsteps approaching his door.

“What’s up baby brother?” 

Xar groaned internally. The last person he wanted to see was Looter.  His brother undoubtably held the position as Xar’s least favourite person to talk to.

“Surely you aren’t doing any school work, we both know you can’t.” Looter laughed. “Have I mentioned I am going to be the top of the class of this half year? Meanwhile you are looking at bad memes on tumblr.”

Xar did not look up from his laptop. “Shut up.”

Looter did not. Xar knew his brother never did, but he told him to shut up anyway.

“Ohhh! That looks like a chat!” Looter cooed. “Your girlfriend? Which poor girl did you blackmail into talking to you?”  At ‘girlfriend’ he made a smooching sound.

“Looter, get the f-“ Xar paused. His father hated that word. “Looter, get out of my room before I blackmail YOUR girlfriend into dating me.”

Looter always had a different girlfriend and Xar did not bother to remember their names. 

“Or did you fall for the ads while watching cartoons?” Looter laughed again.

“GET OUT!”

To avoid getting hit by a flying book or a hammer, Looter finally got to the point. ( If Bodkin ever asked how Xar’s books came to be in their bad shape, Looter’s head was the reason.)

“Anyway, father wants to go out for dinner, and I had to go get you. Here’s your suit.” He held up a clothing hanger with Xar’s suit jacket.

“Yeah fine. I’ll be down in a minute. Now leave.” Xar closed off his laptop and shoved it under his pillow, but his brother did not leave his place in the door frame. 

He poked the jacket and snickered. “Stuffed shoulder pads huh? I guess you must make up for your lack of muscles!”

“Shut up Looter. Father bought that suit.”

His father had taken him to a gentlemanly store owned by one of his fancy debating club friends. The store clerk had taken his measurements and two weeks later he had to go back to try the result on.

Looter talked over him, as usual. “ The stuffing is pretty sturdy, AND sewn inside the lining. Guess father does not expect you to get buff anytime soon.” He let out a bouldering laugh. 

“You know an  _awful_ lot about stuffing clothing, Looter. Makes me wonder what part YOU have to make up for.” Xar shot back. “Maybe that explains why none of your girlfriends ever stick around.”

Looter did not answer. He dropped the clothing hanger and left.

Before picking the jacket up, Xar opened his laptop to send another message.

> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> I also have a story about my wolves, the youngest is seven months old and started hunting with the rest!
> 
> Father wants to go out for dinner and my brother will be there too. I really hope it will end well...

The restaurant Encanzo picked was one of the high end ones near the port. The waiters wore impeccable white shirts and black pantaloons, and they served fine wine for those old and wealthy enough to try it.

The waiter at the door greeted the three of them individually.  “A reservation for three? 29 November, booked by the good sir A-“ She looked at her tablet screen.  “Aaaa-“ the poor young lady spluttered. 

Xar and Looter snickered. Having someone try to pronounce their surname was one of the few things they agreed was hilarious. 

“Yes, that would be me.” Their father replied. Both sons got a glare that shut them up.

They got a separate room with a single table set for three. It had sea view, three fancy chairs and silk napkins folded into swans.

Xar ordered cola, Looter something that sounded vaguely alcoholic and his father a fine glass of wine. (Encanzo qualified as both old enough and wealthy enough.)  A second waiter handed them their menu’s.

“Why this dinner, father?” Looter was the first to ask. “Not that I am complaining, they have the best steak here.”

Encanzo smiled, and seeing him made Xar smile too.

“I have something to celebrate. Today my agents have locked down a suspicious building near the industrial port. A complete surprise to the employees. Nothing will enter or exit while my agents are inside.”

Xar and Looter nodded, for they were very proud of their father. Another thing they agreed on.

“They have the entire archive, and are sorting the files...” Encanzo looked at his watch, “right at this very moment.”

Xar could not imagine being so organised that you knew what happened in another place while you yourself were somewhere else, and to be certain enough that it’s truly happening.

Looter imagined something else. “By direct order of the Director General?” His eyes gleamed. “Because you ordered them to?”

A corner of Xar’s mouth curled upwards. He knew their father did not like it when Looter said such things.

“As head of the security and intelligence service, I  _ can _ give a lot of orders, but I  _ should _ not. I am responsible for every agent who works for me, and bossing them around is not how you should use that responsibility.” Encanzo said with the voice of a professor repeating the same lecture for the fifth time.

Looter sulked. Bossing others around was one of his specialties.

“I had to make sure the police duties in that part of the port are still carried out. Find policemen or women to replace the ones I fired, and convince their former bosses to let them go.” He explained.

Xar straightened his back.This was the right moment to show he understood. “Because you are a leader and a leader cares for his followers?”

His father gave him an approving nod, and Xar’s chest puffed with pride.  He cast Looter a glance of ‘take that!’

“Indeed Xar, and that is why I am Director General.”

After that they spoke about lighter topics, like the cars Looter and Xar wanted to have when they got their drivers license and the new plants they wanted in the garden once spring arrived. 

“We need to get some of those high grasses, the ones with the feathery tips!” Xar said.

“I will have to call mrs. Fox, I am sure she knows exactly which ones you mean.” Encanzo nodded.

“Only if old mr. Kent is still up for the task.” Looter chuckled.

“Don’t laugh Looter. He has done a tremendous job as our groundkeeper, and everyone get’s older.” 

They just ordered dessert when Encanzo’s phone rang. “Hello? What do you mean an emergency?”

Xar wanted the homemade tiramisu, and he could already taste the mascarpone and chocolate powder.

“No, of course not. The standard is HP, or Dell.” His father snapped to the person on the other side of the phone. Silence fell for a minute while his father listened. “Absolutely nothing? And ALL of them?“

Looter flicked some leftover mushroom sauce at Xar and Xar threw a napkin back. He held his breath when the napkin (also stained with sauce) left a mark on his father’s jacket, but Encanzo’s mind was somewhere else.

“Then go trough all the steps and see if there are still files on there!” He continued, pacing around the table.

His father sounded increasingly frustrated.

_Was this about her? Suspect S?_ Xar thought.  What else could be important enough to disturb his father on the few evenings he spent with his sons?

“No, no. I am at a restaurant, but unplug the internet connection immediately.”

_Definitely. I have never seen father this upset over his work._

“Yes. I will call the technical investigation department RIGHT NOW and personally tell them it is urgent.”

His father ended the phone call with an exasperated sigh, and Xar wanted to help him more than ever.  Mr. Caliburns complaints were nothing compared to his fathers distress, and Xar told himself he would cut the truth out of the Wish girl, if he had to. 

(Xar was merely caught up in the moment, for he could not truly cut someone. He still had nightmares about the dissecting lesson during biology.)

_I should have done better, pressured Bodkin and the Wish girl more!_ He scolded himself. He decided he was going to catch Bodkin alone some afternoon, or follow the Wish girl to her home.

_I NEED to do better._

“What happened, father?” Xar asked as carefully as possible. If his father was in a bad mood and grounded him, that would seriously hinder his fresh plan.

Encanzo shoved his chair back with such force it was impolite. “We have to go. I am sorry, but they need me at work.” 

“Can’t you send someone else? You’re the Director General for goodness sake!” Looter complained. He had not paid a lot of attention to the phone call. As favourite son, he wanted the nuisance who dared disturb his father during dinner to shut up.

Unfortunately for the favourite son, this was one of those times where he would not change his mind for anyone. “Being Director General means I have to lead the intelligence service, and they need me right now .” Encanzo snapped.

Xar dramatically dropped his head on the table, for he saw his tiramisu disappear before his eyes. “ Where are we going?” He asked. If he had to give up his dessert, there better be a very good reason!

The last time they left before dessert was when Xar caused a gigantic red stain in the carpet, but nothing remotely bad happened today. Xar had even folded his napkin in his lap, and he found it incredibly unfair that they had to go.

(Not even the fresh plan could measure up to the disappointment of missing tiramisu.)

His father left a bunch of fifties on the table and rushed to take his coat. 

“To the grey and blue police office in the industrial port. All macbooks, ipads and confiscated iphones have reset simultaniously.”

~

The Philosophy and Classics Education room had a view of the sea, and the seats next to the window were reserved for the first group to claim two seats. Either Xar and his fan club, or the group of classmates who called Bodkin names behind his back. 

The losing group sat as far away as possible, and whoever was not with either of the two, had to pick a seat in the middle row. Bodkin had never had a window seat until today.

Xar did not show up that morning, and Heliotrope pulled Bodkin’s arm to have him sit in Xar’s seat.

(Xar had spent the entire night in a locked down police office while his father ran around, _unusually stressed_ , and Looter poked him whenever he tried to sleep.)

A boy from the other group gave him a dirty look. “Look at that. Cheap nerd thinks he’s Xar.”

Usually, Bodkin looked at the posters and mockups of Greek columns on the classroom walls. Today he stared out the window.

A soft breeze blew in his face and he understood why everyone was so keen to sit on this side of the classroom. Fresh air, surrounded by the fan club, and a lovely view of Lighthouse Island outside.

It looked like a landscape painting, with lots of trees covering the hills, clouds drifting by and he could see parts of a tiny building trough the trees.

“Sometimes I see boats heading that direction.” Heliotrope said.

It took a few seconds for Bodkin to realise she was talking to him.

_Oh right. This is Xar’s chair. Xar talks to whoever is sitting next to him._

“Maybe the gardeners?” He tried. “I don’t know if it is in use now that the lighthouse is gone.”

“The lighthouse is gone for at least twenty years.” She monotoned.

“Oh. Yes of course.” 

“It’s very pretty though. I like seeing the flowers in spring.”

“Do you sit here often?” _ What a stupid question,  _ Bodkin berated himself,  _ Of course she does! She sits here and watches flowers on Lighthouse Island. _

“Half of the time. Unless they sit here first.” She cocked her head towards the other side of the classroom.

“Right.”

“Hey Heliotrope, they are renovating the zoo.” The boy behind her cut in. “Did you hear it?”

“Yep! It’s supposed to become a cool one with giraffes and such. I’m sure it’ll be awesome! How ‘bout you Bodkin?”

“I.... I hope so too.” He stammered.

Bodkin had not heard anything about the local zoo. He used to read the newspaper during breakfast, but his dad cancelled their subscription a week ago.

“Except they found some underground room while digging and that has stopped the renovation works.” The boy added.

“Will the windowside of my class quiet down?” Mr. Caliburn crossed his arms. “I am questioning what reality is. Is it what we experience, or what we think?”

”Both, sir?” A girl two seats in front of Bodkin tried.

Bodkin wanted to hit himself on the head. He had not paid attention in class! He had not even opened his notepad. _How did this happen???_

He turned back to the front of the classroom where mr. Caliburn continued his lecture. “Some say that there are even people able to manipulate it.”

Bodkin wrote down ‘People who manipulate reality’ in his notes. He found it a scary idea, people who could change reality. It reminded him of a book about a shy girl who used that power to kill everyone at prom.

When the conversation about the zoo died down, Bodkin realised it was his turn to say something. 

Homework? _No, that is what cheap nerd Bodkin would say._ The weather? _Boring._

He settled on something that had been stuck in his mind for a while. If Xar wasn’t here, he could not complain. He whispered to Heliotrope: “Is it true Xar stole Bacardi? You know, the alcoholic whiskey. Or vodka.”

“Rum.”

“Oh.”

Bodkin’s knowledge of alcoholic beverages was limited to three. Wine, beer and ‘others’, and that distinction was based on the shape of the glass.

“I know it’s true. I saw the bottle myself.” She declared a bit too proud for Bodkin’s liking. He imagined Xar hiding a bottle in his backpack and showing it off during lunch break to lucky fan club members.

“It wasn’t for him though.” Heliotrope shifted a little closer and dropped her voice. “I overheard the two of them say it was for Darkish’s mom.”

“Oh.”

Another silence fell. 

“Xar invited you over, didn’t he?” The boy sitting behind Heliotrope asked. Bodkin could hear a curious jealousy in his voice. 

_Of course. This is the reason behind my window seat._

He had visited Xar’s house and that’s why his fan club acted all nice and friendly. They even gave him Xar’s seat.

“Yes... He did.”

Everyone on the window side of the classroom turned to him, Bodkin, to hear what he had to say.

“Well... ummmm.... Xar has a nice house?” He tried. Carrying conversations was not Bodkin’s strong suit. He always felt lost for words, and the stares of those around him sent heat rising to his face. Or perhaps it was because he rarely did so, and never got to practice.

“It’s in the forest, kind of like the trees you see on Lighthouse Island, but more like normal trees instead of fancy ones.”

_That sounds so stupid!_ Bodkin wanted to hit himself on the head once more.  _Normal trees are trees! It’s Lighthouse Island that has the special trees._

“And?” The boy behind him urged him on.

“Oh, uh...” Bodkin cleared his throat, for he did not expect to be granted another speaking turn. “It’s one of the old manors, it’s kind of like the Victorian style. There’s a creaking wooden staircase too.”

“Is it haunted?” Heliotrope asked with an eagerness unfamiliar to Bodkin in her voice, “Is that why Xar went ghost hunting?”

Bodkin could not repress a smile. Xar’s home was definitely not haunted. Any ghost would pass out from the mess.

“I’m not sure, but I have not seen any vengeful spirits.” He turned around so those sitting in the back of the class could hear him too.  They listened word for word, and to his great surprise, he started to enjoy talking to them. 

Sometime later (Bodkin did not keep track of time anymore), Mr. Caliburn looked his way, and Bodkin realised he was caught in the act of breaking the rule Do Not Talk When The Teacher Speaks.  
He froze.

“Bodkin, please do not talk loudly. Class ends in twenty minutes.” Mr. Caliburn said.

Then he moved on.

Bodkin stared out the window, speechless. A teacher called him out, and nothing happened! Mr. Caliburn did not give them detention, extra homework or a lecture for talking during class. He did not fail his exams. The world was not on fire. 

With this lack of consequences, Bodkin started to see why Xar never paid attention in class. Who knew it was this easy?

~

Wish was in this same philosophy class.

Her mother had been _unusually happy_ yesterday evening and Wish hoped she would get a good grade today. If she had a 6.5 at least, maybe her mother would stay happy.

She had not protested when Bodkin was asked to sit at the window, even when it meant the seat next to her remained empty.  Bodkin could use a few classmates who liked him. Once they got to know him, they might stand up for him in a way Wish never dared.

So far he was doing well, and Wish smiled when the entire window row turned to listen to Bodkin.  Mr. Caliburn even called him out for it! A rarity Wish had not witnessed ever before.

Xar arrived in class late with a can of red bull he hastily threw in the bin. 

Wish stared at her table when he walked past. He sat down in one of the empty seats in front if Wish, which were still empty.  The seat next to Wish was also empty, but after the knife incident she was glad he did not pick that one.

He had only picked the seat next to her once, when they were in their first year and all the other chairs were occupied. He talked with her the entire lesson and she found him enthusiastic at the time.

“Ah, Xar. You have decided to join us?” Mr. Caliburn said.  When Xar said nothing, he continued with his lesson, clicking trough his slideshow.

“Look who finally lost his tongue.” Someone whispered. “There are only 15 minutes left.”

“This manipulating is not magic, but a subtle, curious occurrence. What if you found a lost object exactly in the right time and the right place? Would that be luck, or something else?” Mr. Caliburn looked around the classroom. “Has anyone ever lost an object only to find it in its usual spot later?”

“My homework, sir.” Xar said between two yawns. “I can never find it on the day I have to hand it in.”

The window side of the class laughed, as well as most others.

“Then I am saddened you cannot manipulate reality Xar. If you could, perhaps you would turn in an assignment  on time for a change.” Mr. Caliburn answered calmly. “Has anyone else ever experienced such a thing?”

The majority had.

Keys turning up in their old spot, a feeling telling them to bring an umbrella in the morning or a convenient event on exactly the right time and date.

“Sometimes the universe concentrates those things in one person.” Mr. Caliburn smiled.

The people behind Wish started talking how great it was if they were such a person. Always a 10 on every test, never losing your keys, maybe they could even move items with their mind. In which case they could make pens do homework automatically.

“Some things are inexplicable. The chances are too slim to be calculated for, and still they happen.” Mr. Caliburn clicked to his final slide. “Would that be called luck, or does everything have a reason? If that is the case, you cannot believe in destiny AND luck at the same time.”

In the short pause that followed, her classmates started to talk. Finally, mr. Caliburn pulled the folder with their answer sheets out of his bag. 

“That was my introduction on the question ‘what is reality?’ For next lesson, read paragraphs 5 and 6 on Plato’s cave theory. And now I will read your test results from the previous chapter.”

As always, he listed them in alphabetical order. “Bodkin Archer, 7.4. Xar Ataraxeiavanqaj, 6.1 Madeleine Baker, 6.9”  Having a surname starting with M, Wish fell right in the middle. “Wish Maresca Raeynes, 8.2 Heliotrope Norwood, 6.8”

Wish repeated the number in her head ,  for she wondered if she’d misheard. _An 8.2 out of 10._

On every test except maths, points would be deducted for misspelled words. This caused most of Wish’s bad grades. 

An 7.2 she would have accepted, but there was no way she made so few spelling mistakes she ended up with an 8.2. She had a higher grade than BODKIN for crying out loud!

When mr. Caliburn ended with Clara White, he asked if anyone wanted to see their test. Usually Wish did not want to look at her answer sheet. They were filled with red lines under each word, and equally red corrections made in the sideline. Today was an exception. 

> _Name: Wish Maresca Raeynes_
> 
> _Date of test: 25-11-2018_
> 
> _Subject: Philosofy chaptur 3_
> 
> _Grade: 8.2_
> 
>     1. _B C B_
>     2. _David Huum and John Lock._
>     3. _Epikurus waz like Aristodle. They both beleeved senzes are the sourse of nowledhge._
>     4. _..._
> 


Mr. Caliburn had not underlined any words, and Wish realised she would not know what she did wrong if there were no red markings on her sheet. Every word sounded correct in her head. 

_ Except for Epikurus _ _._

She knew that one was wrong at least, Bodkin told her so.  However, mr. Caliburn had not deducted points for it, or any other time she’d written Epicurus with a K.

A boy returned his test to mr. Caliburn and pointed out an answer he believed to be correct. Wish returned hers without saying anything. She was not as naive to believe she made no spelling mistakes, but if mr. Caliburn let them slide, she would not tell him otherwise.

Mother would be proud to hear she finally got an 8 out of 10! Maybe she would even smile, like she had yesterday.

Her mother had gone to her city office after showing the new car. When she returned in the evening, she was happier, and seemingly forgot about Wish’s earlier mistakes. 

The rest of the day she kept quiet and made extra sure she did everything correct. No stains on her clothing, no tripping on the stairs and no messy hair. The moment the last school bell rang, Wish congratulated herself.

On her way to the car she looked for Bodkin, to ask him about the upcoming history presentation, but he was nowhere to be found. She did see Xar in a corner of the school yard, violently shoving a girl from the soccer team and punching a boy who stood in his way. Wish ran away before the girl punched back, but neither of these things could make her good mood disappear.

“Hello Manuel!” She greeted her driver.

“Hello miss Wish!” 

He closed the door behind her and added her destination to the navigation panel.

“WhiteStar 7 on the move.” He said to the intercom, before shutting it off.

Manuel was a cheerful young man, who played cheerful Spanish songs and helped Wish with her Spanish pronounciation on her way to school. By now, Wish could have a decent conversation in the language, but still spelled ‘Adios’ with double o.

“How was your school day, miss?”

“It was good! I got a high grade on my philosophy test.”

“That’s fantastic! The ‘sigh of relief’ high or the ‘gasp of surprise’ high?”

“The last!” Wish could not help a little laugh. “It was an 8.2!”

“Woohoo! Congratulations, miss. Do you want me to drive the scenic route with sea view?”

“Yes please.”

Manuel turned on the music player and both of them sang along. 

Wish closed her eyes. Today was a good day. She would arrive home and her mother had no reason to be less happy than yesterday evening.


	8. An unfortunate revelation

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An update??? *surprised pikachu meme*
> 
> Warning for a few curse words that fall under a T rating.

Every step made him more nauseous. He knew he  _ had _ to go to the school administration and he knew he  _ had _ to ask it, but that did not make it any easier. During breakfast he’d mindlessly poured so much cereal in his bowl that it overflowed. Putting it back had been a time consuming job. 

When Bodkin finally got there, he recited what he wanted to say,  _‘Due to personal circumstances I would like to request a postponement of the school fee payment date’,_ and took a deep breath.  


_ Breathe in, and out, you can do this. _

“Headmaster Ranter sir...” a voice stammered from behind the door.

“NO. I REPEAT, NO! Why out of all people mr. Caliburn?“ boomed the voice of the headmaster.

“Headmaster Ranter, I...” the voice tried again, but headmaster Ranter only got angrier.

Whoever was in the office of financial matters today did not have a very pleasant afternoon, and the chances of him getting his school fee postponed would not be very high. Bodkin turned on his heel and left, secretly relieved that he got a postponement too.

He wanted to go home and catch up on all the homework he did not do in class because he had been too distracted. This whole not-being-able-to-pay -school-fees-problem was getting on his nerves, and the last person he wanted to see when leaving the school yard was Xar.  He had given Xar his summary of biology, and passed him the date of his history presentation plus the printed assignment. (They had to pick a historical figure and present three myths about him or her.) What could he possibly want more?

Bodkin was in the middle of a ‘let’s get this over with’ sigh, when he saw that it was not him Xar was waiting for. Xar was already speaking to someone, and Bodkin nearly stumbled over his own feet when he recognised that person as Wish.

Xar and Wish? That had to be the weirdest thing he had seen in a long while. The two classmates he hung around most often, (which was still not often, because Bodkin spent most of his time studying), and also two classmates who he had never seen together.  
He fully intended to wave at them and say hi, however his feet stopped working after five steps.

_ No, something is wrong.  _

Xar stepped closer to Wish so Bodkin could only see his back. The next second, both of them landed on the ground, Xar’s hand holding a fistful of Wish’s shirt, Wish covering the side of her face with one hand.

Bodkin watched her stand up, trying to steady herself on her feet, or perhaps it was Bodkin whose feet felt wobbly? He wanted to run, to go ask Wish if she was alright and maybe even ask Xar what that was all about. Instead he stood there, motionless, with only the trees and walls tilting and twirling.

His vision returned when Wish ran past him.

“Bodkin!” she gasped, stopping for a second, before running further.

“You uhhhh.... might want to button up your shirt.” He said.

_ That has to be the stupidest thing you EVER said. _

If Bodkin wanted Wish to stop running, it worked. She looked from Bodkin, who wore a similar button up, to herself.  Bodkin politely looked the other way when she did. He was far more interested in the blue mark on her cheek and the leaves in her hair. 

_Did Xar... No. That would be too terrible, even for Xar._

She left in a hurry before Bodkin could find the words to ask anything else, four buttons now closed, but still mismatched.

He stood there for at least a full minute, slowly processing what he had seen. His notes for his history presentation scattered around, the wind lifting them and blowing the paper around. Someone handed two of them back, but they slipped from his fingers only seconds later. He did not pick them up. Studying could wait. 

He went to find Heliotrope, who was telling a few other students how she tried to visit lighthouse island. “I asked the people on the boat I always see going in that direction, but they said no one can go there! Then what are THEY doing there?” She scoffed.

“So, uh... Heliotrope, have you got a minute?”

_ What a bad way to start a conversation. Good job Bodkin. _

“Do you know if Xar knows Wish?”

_ Even better. Immediately ask the blunt question. You are a real star at this. _

Heliotrope did not notice, or chose to ignore Bodkin’s awkwardness. “Wish from our class? Not that I know of. Though I heard from Rush that he heard Xar was in a knife fight.”

“With Wish???” Bodkin recoiled. Knives were sharp and pointy and generally made him feel uncomfortable.

Heliotrope shrugged, as if a knife fight was an event of minor importance. “Yeah, he said so. Said he heard it at the student counselors office, but he’s a liar.”

“So you’re not sure if it’s true?”

Heliotrope ignored the question to continue her rant. “Asked me to return his book to the library, I said sure why not, but the little rat didn’t tell me about the late fee. He owes me £1,25, you know!”

“Uh huh...” Bodkin nodded in agreement.  He could not let his mind wander to extremely unrelatable things as library late fees.

If all of this was true, Xar had threatened Wish with a knife (To Bodkin it was out of the question, or course, that Wish was the one with the knife.)

He knew Xar’s fancy office father was after Wish’s mother, that was why Xar invited him. To interrogate him about Wish. According to a possibly unreliable source, Xar was recently in a knife fight with Wish, and according to a completely reliable source, he attacked her this afternoon. 

Whatever Xar and his father wanted to know about Sychor-  _Her_ ,  it made Xar idiotic enough to use violence. A knife, even. Bodkin knew Xar was unpredictable, and if he got a pound for every time he gave Xar an ice pack he could pay his school fees, but a knife?

Another reminder not to get on Xar’s bad side.

He need to find Wish before the next school day on Monday, to ask if she was alright. He did not have her address, or her phone number, which made contacting her a bit of a problem. On the bright side, he stopped worrying about the school fee problem.

~

She could still feel the boy’s hand on her shoulder, his fingers digging into her shirt. She could recite his threat word for word.  _ “You’re going to answer all my questions, or else I’ll tell the Golden Cypress Circle who you are!”  _ How did he know?

That she wrote essays was no secret. She had told mr. Caliburn and a few others. What the essays were about, and who she sent them to was something only Bodkin knew.  Did Bodkin tell him? She could not blame him for that, she never told him to keep the essays a secret.

Even if Xar knew she wrote them, and knew what for, how could he ever tell the Golden Cypress Circle? They were a fancy, exclusive club with butlers and bowties and she could not imagine Xar being allowed to enter. Definitely not with  _ that _ haircut.

She wanted to tell Eydis and Oyana, or Manuel, or the third-assistant-cook if he was on evening duty today.  Madam Dreadlock told her not to speak to their servants, but since her mother never forbade it, she happily told them about the decent grades she got during her listening tests, and the flowers she picked from the garden.  Sometimes she shared her worries, but she always feared they would tell her mother in a well meaning (yet counter effective) attempt to help.

Her mother was not home anyway. She would not be for at least a week. She was off to the Hague to talk about oil shares, then to her rival business in Suwon for patent infringement (on their part of course).  As CEO she was in an airplane more often than not. First class on commercial flights, even though she could afford a private jet.

Spoon had fallen asleep around seven, exhausted from rapping Xar on the head, and she had spent half an hour in her bathroom to get rid if the dirt and the bruise on her face. It was a good thing her mother was not home, because her cheek stayed blue.

After last time, she had hoped no one would mention the knife incident again. She did not want to bring it up and mr. Caliburn said he would not either. The boy, on the other hand... He came back today to ‘question’ her, and he sounded like he would do it again. Next time, she feared, she would not be able to hide it from her mother, and she could not answer the boy’s questions either. She knew nothing about her mother’s business, let alone the things he wanted her to tell.

The said a few silent curse words in her head and opened her laptop. This was a bigger problem than possibly running into her unknown friend at school, and she needed advice.

> _ 7 December, 22:05 _
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Hi, do you have time right now? I need to ask something.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Thank goodness, I’m so glad to get a message from you!!! 
> 
> I’ll make time!
> 
> What’s the matter?
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I fought someone too.
> 
> I thought I was ok, just one time. Mother never got to know, no one at school was angry and no one ever mentioned it again.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> I hope you didn’t get hurt!!
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> No. Mother did not notice, I told her I fell on the ground.
> 
> Except that same boy picked on me again today, and I’m afraid he’ll do it again...
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Do you know why? Does the guy randomly pick people for fun or is there a reason? Either way he’s a little shit.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I don’t know. He’s the type that’s in trouble often. Fights, bad language, stealing, that sort of thing. He threatened me, and today he did it again. 
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Man, I’d bloody both his fucking eyes if I saw him do that.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I told him I’d do whatever he wanted if he left me alone, I hoped he would ask for money, but he didn’t.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Not to tell you what to do, I know you already get plenty of that, but maybe you shouldn’t say that again.
> 
> I mean, if he was a jerkass like my brother he might have asked for a kiss.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Ew
> 
> But honestly... If that was all, I would have said yes
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Yiiiikes
> 
> I wouldn’t kiss anyone unless my life depended on it!
> 
> Like, just the idea makes me want to gag
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I’d get nauseous too.
> 
> But he is one of those types who has a gang of friends doing whatever he tells them to.
> 
> Knowing all of them could come after me at any random time makes me feel like that boy is holding Damocles sword.
> 
> _ 7 December, 22:17 _
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> I hope that makes sense...
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Sorry,  I had to google what a damocles sword was.
> 
> But I understand.
> 
> Better to get it over with than to feel like shit every day.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Thank you.
> 
> I’m so happy to speak to you again, I don’t know why I never replied to anything you sent...
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Naw it’s fine. I’m happy to have you back too!!!
> 
> I have a story too, tho it’s a bit late.
> 
> Tip for after you fought someone, go to sleep XD 
> 
> It’ll make you feel better, trust me.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> You’re the expert  😂
> 
> Will you tell me the story tomorrow?  
> 
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Definitely!
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> In that case, good night!
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Good night!
> 
> _ 7 December, 22:57 _
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> I missed you

Wish fell asleep with a smile on her face, though it did not keep away the bad dreams.

In her dream, the boy did ask for a kiss. Audacious eyes looking at her,his ever present smirk plastered on his face.   
Her hands clumsily tried to find a place to rest. One on his shoulder, no, the back of his head. The other on his back? No, she did not want to be closer than absolutely necessary. On his arm then.

An odd feeling, having someone stand so near.  She could feel both their hearts race on the point where their chests pressed together.

Her lips brushed his, and he leaned a little closer.

How long was a kiss supposed to go on? A few seconds? She decided to count to ten and stepped away.

“Not bad.” He grinned, his hands still resting on the sides of her waist.  She did not react. But he let her go, and she ran away as fast as possible, until the trees turned into bricks and then into the walls of her mother’s skyscraper office. Her feet still made running motions, but she did not move forward.

Her mother stood behind her desk, as unmoving as ever.

“What were you thinking, to give in to a silly boy like him?”

_ Mother, please don’t be angry... _

“He is not a worthy opponent, hardly a regular opponent.”

She wanted to defend herself, to say it was a well thought of decision, that one kiss was less troublesome than answering his questions about mother’s business.

“You did not fight.”

She tasted iron and there was blood on her lips. When she brought her hands up to hide behind, it only gave her red fingertips.

“You did not even try.” Her mother’s voice echoed.

More blood welled up in her throat, preventing her to speak.

_ Mother I am sorry... _

The red ran through her fingers, flowing now, and stained the marble floor.

When Wish opened her eyes she lay curled underneath all her pillows and blankets, her hands covering her mouth.

~

Xar stared at his ceiling, sheepishly grinning, because he finally got a message again. His friend, and unknown school boy or girl, and some shithead boy who picked a fight with him or her. They were not grounded, injured or burnt alive in a car wreck, at least.

That should have made him snooze out of relief, but however hard he tried, he could not sleep.

The Wish girl had surprised him again. He knew what he wanted to ask her, and he’d waited for her in the park next to school.

_ Did her mother have hackers who could crash computers from a distance? Did her mother bribe people, like Bodkin said? Did she bribe the police officers in the grey and blue building and then wiped all their computers when they got caught, and did she do that the second he was about to eat tiramisu? _

“Wish, I need you to listen for a sec...” He had told her, and she had said: “If you want to punch me, then go ahead. Do whatever makes you feel better, but leave me alone after that. I do not want trouble.”

He’d given her his best ‘are you serious’ look.  When he said someone asked to be punched, he usually meant someone said such terrible things only a well aimed blow to the nose could shut them up properly. Not: ‘Do whatever, but leave me alone after that.’

“I don’t know what your deal is...” He’d tapped her shoulder, annoyed that he could not continue his Perfectly Thought Out List Of Questions.  Anyone else he’d already shoved against a tree, but this girl had fancy knives and a surprisingly strong left hook despite being right handed.

Unsure what to do next, he stepped a little closer. This was not how he planned this conversation. She turned her head away, but she did shut her mouth.

“You’re going to answer all my questions, or else I’ll tell the Golden Cypress Circle who you are!”

That should have worked. In his mind it worked, at least. It should have made her spill the tea on how her mother made twelve computers crash at once. Instead he felt a sharp pain on the back of his head, splitting noises in his ears, as if someone rung a bell right next to them.

“AARGH!”

He aimed for the creature hitting him on the head, but whatever it was got out of the way and he hit himself.  He fell forward, arms flailing and reaching for the first thing they could grab, and took Wish down with him.

“No! Come back!” The girl anxiously hissed at whatever-it-was.

The object was a _spoon_. Its tiny furious eyes narrowed, but it returned to the girl.

_ Is this an hallucination? _

He closed his eyes and opened them, twice, but the spoon remained a spoon.  The girl hid it in her blazer and ran off.

Xar turned around for the fifth time and tangled himself in his duvet.

_Rich little Wish, with nasty surprises up her sleeve. First a marble and gold knife and now a living spoon._

If it weren’t for her, he would be peacefully sleeping right now. He hadn’t seen Looter all day, Bodkin passed him everything he needed for school and most importantly, his friend was alive and relatively well. It should have been a perfect day, except for Wish and her damned spoon.

His phone buzzed, and he reached over to make sure Squeezjoos wasn’t sleeping on top of it.  He told himself he did not want his friend to be awake at this hour, with the ‘go to sleep after a fight’ advice. It would be better if he or she slept in for as long as their mother allowed. 

However, some hidden part of him, the irresponsible part that wanted to be distracted right now and got in trouble for ‘general misdemeanour’, wanted it to be them. The selfish part wanted them to be awake, so they could be awake together.  He wanted to tell his friend about why he couldn’t sleep, and ask if they had ever seen something like a living spoon. 

Xar’s selfish part got its wish.

> _ 8 December, 02:34 _
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> If you are awake, I’d love to hear your story now.

He let out a content sigh and typed his reply.

> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> I am.
> 
> When did we become such insomniacs huh?
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> 😂
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Ok
> 
> So
> 
> It’s a bit weird
> 
> Please don’t think I’m crazy
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Of course not! You hug wolves, so if you’re a bit crazy it’s only in a good way.
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> Hah
> 
> Ok
> 
> You’ll probably think I’m making this up
> 
> But today/yesterday I got attacked by a living spoon.
> 
> _ 8 December, 2:59 _
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> What
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> I’m serious. One of those large silver spoons jumped on me and hit me on the head.
> 
> It was alive, I swear!

He patiently waited for a reply, and his selfish part dearly wished his friend did not fall asleep.

There were seconds when he wondered if he was crazy after all, but he always reassured himself, confident that he indeed experienced a living dinner spoon hit him. Hopefully his friend believed him...

> _ 8 December, 3:22_
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> Are you sure is wasn’t a robot or something? Maybe a drone?
> 
> feralboyofdestiny
> 
> It was a spoon. With eyes.
> 
> 100% sure.
> 
> _ 8 December, 3:44_
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> That’s weird

_Definitely weird_ , Xar agreed. _At least you didn’t immediately say I’m making this up._

The long pause between their replies made him think of another option. Why exactly, did his friend stop sending messages? He had though of a car crash, getting grounded, moving houses or perhaps his friend lived in a place where wifi could disappear for a long time. He’d considered he said something too rude, or used too many swear words, but he never considered it was something else he said.

Until now.

The last message he sent was the one about lighthouse island, and his friend had not replied for a month or so. His friend had recently fought someone, and even more recently that same person again. It took nearly twenty minutes to get a reply to his spoon story.

What did the Wish girl say this afternoon?  ‘Do whatever makes you feel better, but leave me alone after that.’  Back then he had never considered it, but wouldn’t any other boy ask for a kiss? If only for the accomplishment of kissing a girl that rich.  Bodkin would have. (Xar knew of course, Bodkin would never blackmail anyone, but that was not the point he wanted to make for himself.)

Didn’t the Wish girl write essays of which he had to google half the words? Didn’t the Wish girl have a bunch of older sisters, and a mom with an own business?

His friend has a pet no one knows about, a pet they never took to the vet and they did not know the species of. Not a lizard nor a bird, easy to take care of, and able to fit inside a bag. _What if USP was that living spoon?_

Xar gulped. This all seemed a bit too logical, and made a bit too much sense for his liking.

His mind raced, trying to find a loophole excuse that could explain everything. He recalled everything his friend ever said about themself, USP, their school and their family, but it only confirmed his fears.  Everything he knew about USP could apply to that spoon, Sychorax would definitely be the kind of mother his friend described and their schools started on the same date.

(He should have realised too, that waiting on Wish after school and accidentally making her fall could be rather scary, but seeing things from someone else’s point of view was not one of Xar’s strong suits.)

Xar ran his hands trough his hair. _This could not be true._ He did not WANT this to be true.  If he was correct, the girl he tried to blackmail knew all his secrets and insecurities. Far worse than that, the only friend he ever trusted would hate him if she ever found out. 

It made him feel more miserable than he had in a long time. With a big swing, he threw his phone on the ground and buried his face in his pillow.  The one friend he shared his troubles with, the one he told about his father and Looter, who cheered him up and could put the mess in his head into correct sentences. That person was _Wish_.

He wanted to fight Bodkin, to grab him by his stupid cardigan and shake him until he saw stars. Looter, with his stupid comment about how he blackmailed a girl into talking to him. Sychorax for being the one criminal his father couldn’t catch. 

He wanted to fight himself most of all.  Bloody both his eyes, like the little shit he said he was. 

A swing to the head to blacken his eye and a kick in the ribs to make his breaths hurt. That wasn’t necessary, for breathing already hurt. After exactly four weeks without messages, he literally felt like he could breathe again, and now he’d cut off his own air supply.

Xar rarely cried, and when asked about it, he confidently answered he NEVER cried.  Tonight he did. 

His nails dug into his pillow to smother is breath, trying to keep quiet, until soundless screams turned into quiet sobs and he drifted off to sleep.


	9. Xar’s selfish side gets his Wish

Friday evening, or rather Saturday very early, Looter came home with lots of noise, cradling a square shaped bottle as if it were his child. Xar had stumbled out of bed, annoyed that he was awoken before the sun got up. Looter high fived him without any mean remarks and could not pronounce their surname anymore. Xar had considered borrowing it to take a swig himself. Looter would not notice, and it might help him sleep.

The long rant his father gave Looter in the morning made him think again. He had never heard his father that angry! It was worse than that time Xar threw a brick trough the window of the headmaster. “This is the first time you have dome something too stupid for words, and it will also be the last!”

He spent the entire Saturday in bed, thinking the same thoughts over and over again. Undisturbed by Looter or his father, he had nothing better to do than to repeat them. If that spoon was truly USP, then Wish knew it was him. He made up a story about being someone living in the southern hemisphere to tell her on tumblr, then threw it out. His friend, no,  _Wish,_ wasn’t stupid. They,  _she_ , would know.

He thought about telling her it was Bodkin’s fault, to say Bodkin came up with the idea that Sychorax was a criminal and he promised him to find out. It was a bad idea, and those kind of lies were what got him into this mess in the first place. He considered borrowing the bottle again, his father would be angry, but Looter already got most of that anger, and his brother had sounded so far away from any problems... He decided not to when he realised he would not have liked the drink anyway.

Xar had tried a sip of wine once, in the fancy seaside restaurant where the waiter uncorked the bottle live before their eyes and left it in a bucket of ice. “A fine glass of chianti,” his father had said, “and remember, only one sip!” The taste made him recoil with a ‘BLERGH’ of disgust, and he dropped the glass, which accidentally shattered on the edge of the bucket. The ice and the ‘fine bottle of chianti’ ended up on the floor, leaving an oil like stain on the ivory carpet.

The memory of hid father’s disappointed gaze still stung when he thought about it.

Everything stung. That was the problem. His thoughts were little needles pricking him each time he thought them, and seeing Wish on Monday was a spear that would go right between his ribs. 

Sunday evening he dreaded the next school day more than the tears. Sleeping would not help him, it would only make the morning appear faster. He picked up his phone and sent to his followers’ group chat:

> _ Hey, anyone want to check out that underground place @the zoo? _
> 
> _ 1 o clock, bring ur phones and a jacket _

Xar climbed out of his window and walked past the Golden Cypress Tearoom, to the construction site. Someone had left yellow tape around the trees, spelling **DANGER KEEP OUT** , in big bold letters.

This was, of course, meant to discourage anyone from entering, but danger was exactly what Xar thought he needed in that moment. The luminescent yellow drew him in, like a fly to a light bulb.

Only three people showed up, and Xar cursed internally. He wasn’t even sure why. Heliotrope, Rush and Darkish were some of his nicest followers, and they would not complain if this turned out to be boring.

More tape was used to cover the door. “Won’t you look at that,” Xar said as he cut the yellow plastic away, “whoever did the security of this room sucks at their job.”

The four of them descended the stairs and tried their hardest not to scream when the door closed behind them.

“What a shame that they want to fill this with concrete.” Xar turned on the flashlight of his phone to reveal a small room with white tiles covering every surface.

“Creepy.” Heliotrope grinned.

“Y-yeah...” Rush agreed, far less amused than Heliotrope.

Xar took a few more steps, scanning the room for anything interesting. A bat perhaps? That would be cool.

The room contained a boring desk, equally boring office chair and lots of broken chemistry bottles. It vaguely smelled like the yellow stuff from chemistry, though he couldn’t name it. (Xar had given up on chemistry the second lesson, after the teacher emphasized they would NOT be learning how to make things explode.)

The glass creaked under their feet as the walked around.

“It’s like a supervillain liar.” Darkish whispered.

“Why would this be under a zoo? There’s not much to see here though...” Heliotrope turned around.

“Um... guys?” Rush’s voice squeaked. “Look down.”

All of them stared at the floor, where millions of blue specks lit up under the flashlight of their phones.

“It’s not only glass we are walking on.” 

“Right...” Heliotrope took a breath. (She mentally took back her comment about not seeing much.)

None if them asked what the blue stuff was, for they were too captivated by the diamond-like glow. They only looked up from the blue specks when they heard Darkish’s scream. “T-THERE!”

Four phones and eight eyes turned towards the area he pointed at. It was the closed door.  Green smears stained the surface, some stains merely large blobs and some eerily resembling handprints.

“S-something tried to get out of h-here.” Heliotrope whispered. Rush answered with an unintelligible squeak, and all three of them bolted for the door.

Xar did not follow them. The racing of his heart made his thoughts slow down.  This place was nothing compared to the fear of seeing Wish at school tomorrow.  
Every new, scary discovery put that other fear on pause. Cutting the yellow tape, seeing the creaking blue not-glass, staring at the green handprints, and the intact bottle he just spotted on the desk.

 _ They ditched him.  _ He thought. _All three_.

Xar dramatically draped himself over the chair and sulked.  
So much for inviting them. When they showed up, Xar had felt a sting, and now he felt another one. Nothing he ever did this weekend felt painless. He thought this would be a cool adventure he could tell the rest of his followers about, and there was someone else he would like to tell about this place too.

No, not  _someone_. That someone was Wish.

He’d never given his internet friend a lot of thought beyond the species of USP, but Wish Maresca Raeynes was not the person he expected. It had to be someone fun to be around. A boy or girl with a secret pet.  Was spoon a species to begin with?

_Spoon. (Fancy double name here)_

_Usually a lifeless object but particularly furious when alive. Very defensive, do not engage. If you see one, f- immediately off._

Xar wheeled himself around. The tiles made eerie clinking noises and the blue not-glass scraped at the wheels.

_Crrrrr, cling, cling, clink!_

This would be the kind of lab where mad scientists experiment with spoons, electrocuting them until they came alive.  Frankensteins spoon, except it escaped and now lived in Wish’s nightstand.

His eye returned to the bottle. The liquid inside had the same green colour as the smears on the door. It was the only one. Drinking it would be the exact kind of irresponsible thing to do next. Perhaps he would be sent to the hospital.   
He could _die_.

“Yous better TEST it first! It’s looks like YUCK!” Came a voice from his pocket.

Xar jumped and nearly fell off the chair. He held on to the desk just in time to see a little brown bird fly out.

“What are you doing here?” He hissed.

“I’s fell asleep in your jacket! I’s thinks it’s so SOFT!”

He stared at his fletchling for a second, then groaned. “ Great .”

“You’s awoken me to help you with this!” Squeezjoos picked some of the blue specks off the floor and drew an X on his handpalm. “I’s the BEST helper!”

It was a bad idea, even his dazed, sleep deprived brain could see that, but Xar was not in the mood to listen to it. 

_ Why not? _

He already made such a terrible mess out of everything, perhaps a few days in the hospital would make him feel better.

_ Maybe I won’t have to go to school tomorrow. _

No doctor could ever fix the sinking feeling in his chest of ‘I screwed up.’

_ Here goes nothing. _

Xar carefully picked up the bottle and landed a few drops on his hand. The green spread slowly, following the blue specks Squeezjoos left there, until the X turned entirely green.

They watched it dry, for ten, twenty minutes maybe, until it dawned on Xar nothing happened. No burning pain, no hallucinations, not even dizziness. Nothing that would help him avoid the next morning.

Xar went back home and fell face first into bed.

That dreaded Monday morning, he managed to avoid long conversations during class, but his followers were waiting for him during lunch break. Of course they wanted to know how his nightly zoo visit ended.

“And???”

“Did you get bitten by a radioactive spider?”

“Will you get superpowers?”

“I-s everything ok?” Rush meekly asked.

Xar put on his best smile.

“Look at this!” He put one arm on Rush’s shoulder and held out the hand with the green mark. It was still there and the unnatural bright colour only added to the mystery. At least he had a good story to tell.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he read the new message.

> _ 10 December, 12:02 _
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> USP woke up sick this morning. He is feverish and shivers! What do I do now???

Xar let his followers debate his superhero origin story and went to hide behind the knife-fight-shed.

_Breathe. Think before you answer. Perhaps now would be a good time to tell that story about living in the southern hemisphere?_

> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> By the way, that spoon is one of the freaky science class projects. Like a drone, but worse. 

_Liar._ He thought. Before Xar got to type a reply, she caught up with him. He did not see her, she just appeared in front of him. Poof.

“Xar?”

“Ehhh.... _No?_ ”

In most cases he had a list of excuses ready. _I don’t have time? Can we talk another time maybe? How about wednesday?_ Right now he just wanted to run. 

She grabbed his arm with that iron grip of hers. (So much for his escape attempt.) Her single eye held the fury of two. What she said next made his heart skip more than one beat. It scared him more than the green liquid, a car crash, or Looter. It was nearly as bad as his father’s anger.

“I know it is you.”

“Let go.” He said in a pathetic whisper, suddenly short of air.

“No, no,” she smiled snidely, “not yet.”

At that point Xar knew he made a huge mistake, an accumulation of all his previous mistakes did not add up to this one. The one eyed girl with thin arms, white dresses and a tricky mind was the most worthy opponent in the world.

His felt his phone buzz in his pocket, and her gaze made him look at it.  
  


> _ 10 December, 12:13 _
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> It’s you.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> It’s you.
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> It’s you.

~

For a few seconds, Wish relished in the bewildered look in the boy’s eyes. He lost his voice, and what was left of it made squeaky noises at every word.

She too, had spent most of her weekend in a daze. All her thoughts had disappeared, nothing existed but the puzzle of Xar and Spoon. She had stared into nothingness for hours, moving pieces in her mind until she got all her facts sorted and connected.

When her mother had lectured her and her sisters on business, the information entered her head, but never reached her brain. During Hand To Hand Combat, Unforgiving had hit her so hard her cheek was still raw. (At least she did not have to explain the bruise from Friday anymore.)

Spoon had never shown himself to anyone, let alone attack someone. Except for Xar. It could not be a coincidence. She had scrolled trough the entire chat again, and concluded she never said anything that would reveal her. If he was smart, he would have puzzled it out, but she hoped he wasn’t.

By Monday, she had a plan, and she patiently waited until lunch break to follow Xar to the schoolyard. He  stood a few metres away, he had his arm around one of his gang members and told a story they apparently found interesting. She’d waited all morning, and typed her message in notes so she could copy and paste it.

> _10 December, 12:02_
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> USP woke up sick this morning. He is feverish and shivers! What do I do now???

Three seconds later the boy got his phone from his pocket.

_ It is him._

That was all the confirmation she needed, and as soon as he walked away, she followed, hiding behind a line of trees the way madam Dreadlock taught her.

“Xar?” She surprised him, and it took him a few seconds to answer.

“Ehhh.... No?”

“Let go.”

“No,” this time she would not run away, “no, not yet.”

This time she would be the one asking the questions. She held phone in one hand and his wrist in the other, as she send multiple messages as proof.

> _ 10 December, 12:13 _
> 
> Iron-flower-crown
> 
> It’s you.

Bzzzt, bzzt, _bzzzzzzz_ , went his phone. Wish sent two more to be extra sure, though it wasn’t necessary. Xar’s guilty face was all the proof she could have wanted.

“I...” he tried, but he could not finish his sentence.

“Can I speak to you for a moment?” She tried to be as collected as possible to hide her shaking voice.

_ Think you are mother, in her office so high no one can reach her and no one can hurt her unless she lets them. _

“Y-yes...”He replied, voice still faltering.

_ Unless YOU let him. _

They picked the small, secret broom closet in one of the hallways. He opened the lock and Wish held the door open. It looked exactly as he had described it.

“Is there a light switch?”

“Uh-huh.” The boy pulled a cord and a small light flickered on.

“You told me this place was boring.”

“Yes.”

She wanted to fire her questions at him, but she could not bring herself to shout. Mother would have, but mother would ignore the tear in a corner of his eye. She could have shouted at classmate Xar, but not at anonymous-tumblr-friend Xar. It happened they were one in the same person.

“I... I know I should, should own up, because I am a terrible person, have been, to you... And...” Xar drew a shaky breath. “And... To your pet too, the spoon I mean, but you... probably more...” He jabbered.

Wish looked at the boy in front of her, completely at loss for words. If she wanted to have a proper conversation she had to start one herself. She opened her tiny bag and took out Spoon.

“So... This is Spoon, you have already met him.” She let out a weak laugh. “Spoon, meet Xar, Xar meet Spoon. He is the Unidentified Secret Pet.”

They stared at each other for what felt like hours. Wish had asked Spoon to be nice, but Spoon told her with angry swaying motions that trying to blackmail a fellow student is not a very good start of a friendship. Wish had had to agree with him on that.

Eventually Xar said: “You weren’t kidding. He sure is something else.”

“I, and Spoon...” she struggled to find the right words. She had practiced this over the weekend, but saying it to a person instead of a blob in your head is a big difference. “Spoon and I would like to know how you got here. In this,” she gestured to the tiny lamp “...situation.”

“Yes,” He nodded, “Of course.” Xar started his story in fits and stats, pausing every few words to take a shaky breath or to correct himself. 

Wish listened, and the tiniest part of her brain found it felt good to see him struggle this much. She imagined this had to be how her mother felt.

“My father has this file... It has all sorts of crimes in it, and he thinks your mother is behind them.”

Wish looked at him a little more closely, for she didn’t believe he was serious about this impossible accusation. Where in the world would he get an idea that ridiculous? “And you believed that too?”

“Yes, I did. At least I think I did, but I... I don’t know anymore.”

His voice sounded far too serious to be a joke. 

“I only know my father was stressed all day, and I thought what if- I told you about my father, y-you know, and I thought ‘What if I make him proud?’ So I started paying attention to you, since you are, well, you are your mother’s daughter.”

She nodded, for she remembered how  _other_ Xar mentioned him.

“I was at the Golden Cypress Tearoom, my mother was a member and I guess my father still is. I-I saw an essay there, with your name on it, and exactly the one I read.”

“You read my essays?” She tried to hide her astonishment, but none of her mother’s stern words about ‘not showing emotions’ helped.

“Yes, no... Only one.” The boy tried.

“What? But why?”

“I got them from Bodkin, but I didn’t find anything. They’re just normal essays.”

She almost snorted. First he said her mother was a crook, and now he said her essays were the clues. “Of course? What did you expect?”

Xar hesitated, he shrugged, shook his head and shrugged again.

“I don’t know? Some metaphor for you witnessing your mother commit a murder? A detailed report about whatever missing person she cheated out of existence? All your fears and insecurities?”

After every suggestion, his hands made wilder motions. This sounded truly ridiculous, and a huffing sound escaped her. “Do you think my mother ever tells me anything?”

_What a thought!_

“No...”

Then, she added slowly, “And you already know the last.”

The light had dimmed gradually, and only the outline of his silhouette remained lit.

She wasn’t sure why she said it. Those things were far easier to type than to speak out loud, but there was no denying it. She had told  _ other _ Xar more about herself than she had anyone else.

“Yes.” He said, finally.

Both of them remained silent for a while, pondering what to say next. What did you say to someone who you have shared so many thoughts with, yet have never actually spoken to?

To Wish’s relief, Xar continued his story. “I hoped to find something I could tell my father, so that he would stop being so, so...”

“Agitated?”

“Yes that.”

“And then you waited on me after school?”

Xar turned his head away. “Yes,” he sighed, “I thought, if the essays only had useless information in them, maybe I could make them useful in another way. You kept your identity secret from the Golden Cypress Circle, but I knew, and...”

He stopped again.

“You would tell them, unless I told you about mother‘s made-up crimes.”

“Yes.” He turned further away, until Wish only saw the silhouette of his ear.

A small part of her wanted to look him in the eye, to make him say what he did while looking at the person he did it to. The larger part was happy she did not have to make eye contact, that way she could not flinch.

She asked her next question without looking in his direction. “Were you surprised it was me?”

His answer was no more than a whisper. “I don’t know.”

“I was surprised it was you.” She whispered back. “I considered a few classmates, but you were not one of them.”

Xar’s silhouette nodded. “I guess I was mostly afraid.”

“Of me?” Wish asked.

He nodded ever so slightly, that it was more a little head tilt. Their voices had softened until Wish’s reply was hardly audible.

“Oh.”

They stayed there, musing their own answers. The silence had become less awkward, as if they both agreed they needed a minute to think every once in a while.

“I always imagined you as the type the  other you would fight.” Wish said. “If that makes sense...” 

“I guess I haven’t done anything to change your mind. The opposite, really.”

They did not have to look at each other to silently agree on that. 

It was his turn to say something. “I never imagined you to have a pet either. You know, with the white clothes and a Tesla to drive you to school.”

“That’s why he is secret.”

“Right.”

“Mother would not like him.”

“Oh.”

“And how about your father? Since you mentioned him. Does he like your birds?”

“He... does not know I have them. They are wild, really, they merely like to drop by.”

“Then how do you know what they mean? Spoon is pretty good at nonverbal communication.”

Xar stayed quiet long enough for Wish to wonder if she had said something wrong. (Wish had absolutely no reason to think that, and even if she did say something wrong, Xar did not have a lot of right to complain about it.)

“They... talk.” He finally said. It was more like a whisper, for he had not said that out loud in a long time.

She nodded, although she wasn’t sure why. 

“They talk, in English, and good English too, just like us. They... they tell me about things I have never seen or heard of before, but all of which are completely true.”

Wish nodded again. Talking birds sure was a twist to this conversation, and she didn’t know what to say. “Have you always heard their voices?”

“As long as I can remember.”

“Did you ever... tell anyone?”

“When I was a kid, the other kids liked to hear about them, and my father liked that I liked being outdoors.” He made a soft scoffing sound. “Then I got older, and other kids started to laugh, father told me to stop imagining things and grow up. Growing up sucks.” 

“Yes.” 

“I wondered why no one else could hear their voices. Maybe I was mad, delusional, plain crazy perhaps, but the birds kept talking.”

Wish did not know what to say to that either. 

“Not just them, but also a dog asking for directions back to its owner, or a snake whispering in the pet store.” Xar sighed, his voice growing more unsteady with every word. 

“I came to the conclusion that no one else could hear them, just chirping and tweeting. I stopped talking  about the birds, but I never stopped talking  _to_ them.“

He cleared his throat, marking the end of his talking-birds-explanation. It took Wish a few minutes to realise he anxiously awaited her reply. Perhaps he expected her to laugh.

By now, all the light had gone, and they sat in complete darkness.

Wish knew she should not believe a story about talking animals this easily, in fact, she should not believe it at all. Especially not coming from a boy like Xar.

The Xar she knew would never sound this genuine, this vulnerable, but the boy sitting next to her was not that Xar. He was her friend, the one she could wake after midnight if she felt bad, the one who sent her silly photos of animals at 2AM, and who promised he’d punch someone for her.

“They sound like good friends.” She whispered.

When Xar spoke next, his confidence returned to his voice. “What do we do now?”

“I don’t know.” Wish shrugged. “We can hardly tell everyone we’re suddenly friends. Mr. Caliburn will get a heart attack.” 

She half imagined Mr. Caliburn falling off his chair, papers with philosophy homework flying out of his hands, while Xar remained silent. “What’s wrong?” Her voice faltered again. Did she say the wrong thing?

“I, I guess I did not expect you to say...” His body stiffened, “ That .”

She waited for him to explain, but he did not.

In the silence that followed Wish concluded she definitely said the wrong thing. _Of course_. Xar was still Xar, and the physical human being Xar would never be the anonymous digital Xar. Out here, in the real world, he had his gang to entertain, teachers to trouble and tall tales to tell.

_ This means nothing. _

It would have been too good to be true anyway. The chances of her ever meeting her unknown friend were low and the chances of being in the same school in the same class impossibly low. The chances of being actual, real life friends were so astronomically low there had to be some sort of cruel trick of fate ahead to prevent it from happening. 

“I’d understand if you don’t want to be seen with me.” Wish whispered. She knew she would not exactly be a great addition to his small gang.

Xar moved briskly, as if he’d been shocked. “No, no, that’s not it. Dammit, no,” He buried his face in his hands and cursed under his breath. “I thought you would hate me, or at least not want to talk to me again for the rest of our school careers.”

“Oh.” 

She knew she had reason enough to ignore him for the rest of their school year. Anger was the more logical reaction to a situation like this, but even when searching all parts of her brain, she did not find any. 

“No.”

He looked up, and in the little light that was left, Wish could faintly see his eyes.

“I understand why you would do it. It’s a very impulsive, you-thing to do. I guess that doesn’t make it right, I’m not sure any reason can make it right, but everyone needs a second chance.”

If anything, she felt more relieved, and perhaps even happy, that the one person she shared her troubles with was no longer an icon on a screen, but a real human being.

“And I don’t want to walk around pretending I don’t like you.”

“No, me neither.” He smiled.

Wish did not want to say it, that would make it resolute, and she guessed he did not want to either, but she found she made a friend.

Now that they cleared up a long list of mishaps and misunderstandings, their attention returned to the more pressing, every day matters. (And the original reason why they ended up in a broom closet at school.) Namely, their parents.

“What about my mother? Does your father still think that she...” Wish didnot have to finish her sentence for Xar to answer.

“Yes.”

“And what are you going to do?”

“I don’t know. I don’t think there is anything I can do, and the last thing I did made this, this mess.”

“My mother is no criminal, I’m sure of that, but I guess that won’t help your father.” Wish lamented.

“Then why don’t we prove she did not do any of it?” Xar said, enthusiasm back in his voice, “If my father sees sense and realises your mother did nothing wrong, he will stop worrying!”

Wish could not see him anymore, but she knew he smiled and she did too. “In that case I am in.”

They managed a half baked high five in the dark, but only after three attempts.   
  


Xar unlocked the door to leave. The light blinded them when they stepped out, but after they rubbed their eyes and their sight returned to normal, they found both their smiles still on their faces.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No Bodkin this time but they’re finally friends, woooo!!
> 
> It took nine. Whole. Chapters. but we’re here.


	10. The Encanzo and Sychorax chapter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Since the parents are major characters, here’s a chapter dedicated entirely to them.

“A drink sir?”

Encanzo took a glass from the tray held in front of him. He did not like champagne, but staring at the bubbles had to be more interesting than the conversation he was currently stuck in.

He had already studied the guests, the staff, the stitching on his chair and every other piece of furniture in the Golden Cypress Tearoom.  It was his bad luck to arrive late today and he ended up ensnared in conversation he wanted to end as soon as possible.

“Have you heard of lady Hennessey’s imminent retirement?”

The gentleman sitting in the chair opposite Encanzo was a dull speaker, who looked as old as the interior of the Tearoom and sounded like he smoked a pipe thrice a day. Perhaps he did. His wife, who sat next to him, was not much better.

Ever since Xar had poured tea into the lady’s handbag, Encanzo spoke to them during each meeting, by way of saying sorry. Xar had apologised profusely after the act, but only to the poodle, and Encanzo still felt like extra apologies were necessary. 

“No, I have not, but what interesting news.” He feigned surprise. The news was surprising, and surprisingly  new , but the dull man did not make it sound interesting at all.

“She has accepted a generous sum for her business, and immediately sold her family members’ shares too.”

Lady Hennessy was about a decade older than him, still she was only in her fifties. This was exactly the excuse Encanzo needed to escape from the conversation with mrs. Dull and mr. Duller. He told them he wished to congratulate lady Hennessey in person and left before they could protest.

Lady Hennessey had been a good friend of his wife, and after her passing, she was the only one in the Golden Cypress Circle genuinely friendly to him. She happily told him about her life as retiree. One of her virtues was a dislike of doing business, which meant she never bored Encanzo with news of stock sales or exchange rates, two of the favourite subjects around.

“We merely handed over the directorship. We still get part of the profits, which is why my family agreed to sell their parts too. None of the work, but still half the income.”

“I am pleased to hear that. It seems you have made a great deal.” 

“Oh but that’s not all, I’ve made an even better deal! Did you hear the news about the zoo? The entire renovation is for me! It’s part of the deal and all paid for of course.” She laughed and Encanzo found her relentless enthusiasm for unimportant things almost endearing.

“They will add a greenhouse dedicated to tropical flowers, and I have demanded some of my favourite animals. It’s within walking distance of my manor, so I will be able to spend a lot of my time there.”

“How lovely.” He nodded. A zoo so close to their houses, maybe he could take Looter and Xar there some day.

“It’s still open to the public, with tickets, but I am their patron, and can walk in anytime I want.”

Encanzo could barely open his mouth before she started her next sentence.

“Oh, I shall ask to add your name on the list of patrons! Surely you must come and see the result. There is a grand opening early next year.”

He searched for a strategic thing to say, for he could not promise he would be at that grand opening. Stuffing Xar in a suit was always a terrible task, and neither of his sons did well at 60 percent of formal events. That rate dropped to about 0 when they were at the event together. 

One particular incident was an event where one of them put the powder from their new year’s firecrackers in the ashtrays. Looter had said he found the event boring and Xar had said they should not have smoked anyway. Naturally, they blamed each other.

“I can already tell it will turn out beautiful. If my wife was still with us, I am sure she would have loved to accompany you.”

Both of them halted the conversation in her memory, but Lady Hennessey was not one to stay sad for too long. “I know. I would have let her design that greenhouse. I shall ask for sunflowers then, an entire promenade, we both know those were her favourites!”

Encanzo smiled. “A splendid idea, lady Hennessey.”

When his wife had gotten an invitation for the Golden Cypress Circle, she’d quickly become one of the most beloved members.

“Oooh right, before I forget. I will call to name you patron and immediately put you on the guest list for the grand opening.” Lady Hennessey opened hee handbag to find her phone.

“I will have to ask you to spell your name, mr. A, I can hardly even pronounce it.“

She always called him Mr. A, something Encanzo did not mind. There were far worse names for him between the walls of the tearoom. He had only been invited to join the Golden Cypress Circle because of his wife’s accomplishments, and more than a few members had wanted to kick him out since she was no longer around.

“Did I ever tell you how a Norwegian hotel refused to let me into my room over a missing letter from my name? The horror, a HORROR I tell you. See, I had booked four weeks in advance, but that evening, oh I remember it so well, my cousin Agatha, I like to call her cousin A, visited and she told me the story about....”

Encanzo let Lady Hennessey continue talking and secretly peeked at the clock. Only half an hour until he could leave.

“I was so distracted I must have missed an S on my booking! Oh I am getting carried away, here, I found my phone.”

She dialed a number and handed the phone to him only a few seconds later. “Hello and good afternoon! I have this lovely gentleman here, who I’d like toinvite to the zoo, from now until... well, eternity!” 

As soon as Encanzo took the phone, he immediately regretted the entire conversation. He should have stayed with mrs. Dull and mr. Duller and stare at the bubbles in the champagne. He should have stayed at home and made a call to say he was ill. He should have asked Lady Hennessey for a long story instead of the sale of her business.

Above all, he badly needed an excuse to NOT go this grand zoo opening.

~

Sychorax rearranged the papers on her desk. Time to add another continent to her list of conquest, South America this time.

Her Portuguese was a bit rusty, and she had to double check to make sure she used Brazilian Portuguese. She had made that mistake with an American businesswoman who cancelled all trade with her over a spelling mistake. For that, the woman needed to be taught a lesson, and she had made sure it was a firm one.

Somebody knocked on the door.

“Madam, there is someone who wishes to see you.” sounded the voice of her secretary. “He says he is mr. Caliburn, Wish’s philosophy teacher and school counselor.”

“Let him in.”

The man entering her city office was short and thin, with scruffy black hair and a small suitcase. Sychorax guessed she was about a head taller than him. He would not be any threat.

“Mister Caliburn, may I ask the reason for this visit?”

“Of course madam. I have come to ask about your daughter Wish.”

“I supposed so. If you could make it quick, I have work to do.”

“Of course. On her last test, Wish scored considerably higher than any other. An 8.2 out of 10. The reason for this is that I ignored any spelling mistakes she made. I believe your daughter is incredibly clever madam, her English is more sophisticated than many an adult I know, grammar impeccable, but spelling less than average.”

Sychorax gave a small nod. _Incredibly clever._ Wish better start showing that soon.

“I would like to have Wish tested for dyslexia and perhaps dyscalculia.” He stated.

It was not unusual for class tutors to visit parents, but Sychorax did not consider philosophy an important subject enough to waste time on.

“Would you now? And what would the benefits of that be? A diagnosis for life, telling the world my daughter has a brain defect that prevents her from keeping letters in order?”

Her only daughter already failed about every subject Sychorax did consider important, the last thing she wanted was big label saying she was dyslexic too.

“She would get extra time during tests, larger printed version so the letters will be easier to read, and her grades will not be lowered for spelling mistakes.” Mr. Caliburn explained.

“And what of it when she graduates? Do I magically enlarge all her university work as well? Her future business contracts and e-mails too?” Sychorax snapped.

After the eyepatch and the limping leg, she could not let her daughter have another disadvantage in life. Sychorax quickly reminded herself to get rid of the doctor who had done Wish’s leg surgery before he could spread the tale.

“ _Real life_ does not allow for extra time, larger letters or errors. In _real life,_ Wish will have yet another defect on her already considerable list, and I cannot allow that.” She explained with a rumbling whisper. “I will not let you draw up a form that tells the whole world of her failure to understand English.”

She steadied her breath to return to its usual emotionless temperature. “No, Wish will just have to try a little harder.”

The man stared at her, utterly speechless. He opened his mouth to say something but no sound came out.

“Good evening, mister Caliburn.” To her content, he had the decency to leave immediately.

For all her faults, Sychorax knew Wish was not completely hopeless. If only she would overcome those faults before she became old enough to inherit The Company.

The second the door closed behind him she returned to her work.

Two  _favelas_ were cleared and replaced by small yet comfortable homes with tap and drain. The inhabitants would be offered a chance to learn the woodworking trade, get employed and live in one of the houses. Luxury tropical wood, intended for sale.

The growth of Brasilia airport would ensure the goodwill of the government. If any reluctant minister felt bad for the trees, she would gift him or her the Hennessey outhouse.

The only hard part of the investment was the Hennessey family itself. The lady who held most of the shares insisted she call her ‘lady M’, and acted as if they were friends. Sychorax still groaned at the memory. 

Talking her into selling her family members’ shares had been easy, but the lady wanted something specific in return. Which meant Sychorax was now stuck renovating the local zoo, and figuring out how to ship a lion from South Africa. It was not something Royal Mail advertised in their catalog.  _Lion, tracked and signed, will be delivered in 5-10 working days._

She should be discussing the marketing of her new Roadster car, or planning her Turn Of The Century gala, or doing other reasonably  important things.

_This entire zoo renovation project is a big time-wasting joke._

To make matters worse, her secretary called, with none other than lady Hennessey on the phone.

_Speak of the devil._

First that teacher and now her.

“She insists it is something you should know.” Her secretary said.

“Fine. Send her trough.” Sychorax hoped she could make this quick.

“Hello and good afternoon!” Boomed the voice of lady Hennessy with the volume of a screeching turkey. “I have this lovely gentleman here, who I’d like toinvite to the zoo, from now until... well, eternity!”

Sychorax monotoned a standard reply. “If you wish to name someone patron, you could call my project planning department, and they will give you a befitting answer.” 

This was  just great . Annoying lady Hennessey disturbed her from reading another Portugese letter, only because she was too foolish to spell someone’s name. It almost made Sychorax regret buying her tropical timber business.

“Oh I know, but his name is a bit difficult, and I’d rather have him tell it directly to you. That reminds me of the gentleman in Norway, who refused me entry to his hotel because a letter was missing from my name! Can you believe....”

“Lady Hennessey,” Sychorax cut her off trough gritted teeth, “You could have the gentleman e-mail it, no spelling mistakes there, and even if there is a missing letter I will personally make sure he is still a patron.”

She counted to ten internally, hoping that lady Hennessey would do as suggested.

“That won’t be necessary, lady S, he’s here with me!” She continued. The enthusiasm in her voice made Sychorax want to count to a hundred. “I’ll hand him the phone.”

A rushing sound came from the other side, then a voice.

“Hello.”

Sychorax stilled. She knew that voice. She instantly recognised the rounded vowels, slightly gravelly and somehow still soft-spoken. Exactly how she remembered it.

He did not spell his name, for he was undoubtably as surprised as her, but it did not matter. His name was already on the paper, and without any spelling mistakes too. She’d written it down as soon as she heard his voice. No change of time or place could make her forget that name.

“Hello Encanzo.”

Lady Hennessy took the phone back and blabbed on. “Did you get that in one go? Sheesh, you are so clever! I still cannot pronounce it. You know, that reminds me of a friend in New Zealand who has a friend...”

Sychorax did not listen.

“You should meet, really, you should.”

That was something Sychorax did not particularly look forward to.

“Yes, yes, bye.” She cut lady Henessey off and nearly threw her phone on her desk.

She had hoped for a productive afternoon to get rid of all the nonsense about that zoo, so she could focus on important things.

Most unfortunately, that did not happen. Every so often, though she truly wished she could ignore it, Sychorax’s eyes drifted to the name staring at her in her own elegant handwriting.

_Encanzo Ataraxeiavaqaj_

~

Encanzo did not bother to look for his sons when he came home. He locked himself in his office and looked at the portrait of his wife. Soon it would be ten years since her death.

A fellow asked him once if he wished to find love again. “You could be a desirable bachelor. A wealthy gentleman. Handsome, even without your hair.”

He had answered he already met the love of his life, and would keep loving her from his side of the afterlife. The only other person he ever considered marrying had become someone he was supposed to put behind bars.

Lady Hennessey, who was thoroughly fed up with the idea that falling in love was mandatory, then proceeded to tell the world of that man’s cheating habit. It had been a subtle revenge and he still had to thank her for that.

Ever since, talk of his relationships had been kept to a minimum. Not a nonexistent hair on his head considered marrying again.

She smiled in her portrait, as she always did. Losing that smile had hurt him more than he could have imagined.

As the saying goes, time had eased the pain, polished the sharp edges until the stinging feeling in his chest waned.

What hurt more, was knowing the pain of her death could not measure up to the pain of losing  _Her_. The one he waited two years for. Over time he’d come to resent  _Her_ .

Millions of pounds made their way into her cold hands.

Many business men and woman feared her blue eyes.

Millions that became billions.

Fear that became terror.

He had told himself he wanted to wrap his hands around that pale neck and squeeze the life out of her. It was what he was supposed to want, but after hearing her on the phone he found he did not. Two words were all she had said, and yet they burned in his chest.

The woman who he once knew made his heart ache more than the death of the mother of his children. That  _She_ still had that power over him felt unbearable.

Encanzo buried his face in his hands in shame.

His wife had given him her love, her laugh, her heart and two sons. She deserved much more than a man whose heart beat faster for a murderer.

_My dear, can you ever forgive me for not being the husband you deserve?_

Her portrait did not answer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok so this chapter was mainly to wrap up loose ends from various chapters before going into the second part of this fic ‘The (Mis)Adventures Of Three Friends’ , but I might add them as POV regulars.


	11. Chapter 11

“Rule three, very important, always pay attention to your pronouns or else things will get confusing.” The English teacher said that so often Bodkin could mentally picture him saying it. He crossed out the last line he had written, for it included the pronoun ‘I’. 

Not a single thought in his brain helped him with the homework. Bodkin had never spent a lunch break doing homework, especially not on Monday. All of the homework should have been done during the weekend, but it had taken Bodkin twice as long, for he could not stop thinking about Xar.

The last time he’d spoken to Xar, everything was normal. Normal for Xar, at least.

He’d watched from the library how Xar grabbed a girl from the soccer team by her t-shirt collar in a fight, she had kicked him with considerable force and bloodied his nose. As usual, he had taken Xar to the room with the first aid kit and told him how soccer players could do real damage to your shins if they kicked hard enough. Kicking hard was a thing soccer players were good at. Xar had ignored him.

Then he saw the thing with Wish. The memory got a bit blurry, but he vividly remembered the bruise on her face and the opened buttons of her blouse. He had tried to think of a reason why, but every scenario he came up with was worse than the last.

His brain also forgot to ask for the school fee postponement, yet another problem he did not know what to do about.

His father had not gotten a new job yet, neither his mom nor grandparents could work extra, and the consequences started to show.

Before this, all expensive things had to be fit in their budget, but he never had to worry. The rent, food, clothes and school supplies were no problem, and even the school fees did not cause trouble. Now he often found his mom or dad calculating how much food they could afford.

Earlier that morning Bodkin had noticed Xar wore new shoes. Maybe his t shirt was new too, but he wasn’t sure. A boy from the fan club complimented them, but Xar shrugged. “Oh yeah, the dark green is pretty neat right?”

Apparently he had written something on his hand with green ink, and that was more interesting.

Bodkin’s mind turned the sneakers into numbers, for he was rather good at mathematics and economics. 70 pounds. An entire week of groceries.

‘ _Pretty neat._ ’

After lunch break he attended philosophy class, where mr. Caliburn blabbed about vague things like reincarnation Bodkin could not study or practise. He did not make any sensible notes and even forgot to write down what the homework was. 

“If reincarnation is real, please let him become a crow or something, so he can caw all he wants.” The boy behind Bodkin had whispered.

The third problem his brain kept going back to, was his father’s ‘letter of dismissal’.

His father had visited the highest police chief of the port, but he did not say anything useful, then he went to the police chief of the city, but she could not help either. She said that whoever ordered the dismissal was so important, not even her own boss could do anything. Bodkin knew his father tried to call her boss, but the man blamed everything on the intelligence service and hung up.

Did Sychorax,  _ She _ , have any important friends in the intelligence service? The idea that  _ She _ was close to some high intelligence service agent made her scarier than she already was.

The school bell rang and Bodkin shuffled to his next class. English, from the ever frowning teacher standing sternly at the door. His face alone made him feel relieved that he did do the homework.

Bodkin took his seat when he saw Wish walk in. He hadn’t seen her during their philosophy class and wondered where she went. She was followed by the fan club, including an incredibly smug-looking Xar.   
Had he been in the philosophy class? Bodkin tried to recall if he saw Xar in the previous class, but he could not remember any Xar-remarks. The answer was probably ‘no’ then.

A classmate walked up to the teacher. “I did not make the homework sir.” 

“Is there a good reason for that?” His voice croaked, frown plastered on his face as usual. “Do you have a note from your parents?”

“No sir, we was just...”

“If you make excuses, at least remember to pay attention to your pronouns or else things will get confusing.”

“Of course sir.”

Bodkin’s relief doubled. Spending the lunch break doing homework had been a good decision.

“Silence everyone! It is already three minutes past the start of this class. If all of you did your homework, which I know some have not, you should know the correct spelling of ‘abbreviation’.” 

His eye wandered the classroom, looking for a target.

“Wish, please tell me.”

Bodkin winced. In the time he knew Wish, she had not answered a single spelling question correctly. He had tried to help her, but however hard both of them tried, she did not get it.

“Uhm...”

“I do not have all day, Wish.”

“A- P- R- E- E- V- E- E- A- T- I- O- N.”

“That is incorrect, are you one of those who did not do the homework?” He asked. “Though I expect even those who do not make homework to spell better than this.”

_It isn’t logical that Wish’s spelling isn’t improving_ ,  he thought. She always made her homework and her grammar was perfectly fine.

“Well sir,” Xar interruped, “you asked Wish how SHE spelled it, not what your correct spelling is.”

The fan club burst into giggles.

Bodkin‘s train of thought came to a screeching halt.

_** What? ** _

He stared at Xar, only to conclude that this did not make any sense. Xar took every opportunity to snap at a teacher, but he had never  defended a classmate like that, and now he did for Wish.

Bodkin tried to think if anything important had changed, but Xar looked as obviously pleased with himself as always. He leaned back in his chair too.

It turned out Xar was not done yet. “Always pay attention to your pronouns, or else things get, ya know,” he made a flicking hand motion, “confusing.”

Now the entire class wheezed with laughter, even those who did not like Xar could not keep it in,  _ Ooooh _ -ing and gasping at the daring quote back.

The teacher, his mood now permanently ruined, sent him to the school counselor. “Xar! Leave. NOW!”

Xar put two fingers to his forehead and gave a mock salute as he walked out the door. The fan club laughed even harder and some of them waved back.

The best possible word to describe what Bodkin felt was anger.

This wasn’t right. None of this was right.

Xar’s new shoes worth more than his entire family ate in a week, the lack of consequences to all his petty fights, Wish’s blue cheek, his confident smirk when he left to go to the school counselor.

Knowing boys like Xar lived and breathed, walked and talked, made Bodkin angrier than he had felt in a long while. Because if boys like Xar could survive and thrive in the world, what had he been doing? Or rather, what was he doing wrong?

~

Wish was the second classmate ever to walk the driveway of Xar’s house. First Bodkin and now her. The honour should have been hers, really. She was the only person he’d genuinely consider his friend. He thanked all the higher powers he did not really believe in that he house was empty. Both his father and Looter were gone and the groundkeeper was busy outside. The old man did not really count anyway.

Xar took a chair from the guest bedroom and they sat down behind his desk. (Cleaning it to the point where he could safely put a laptop down had taken him an entire afternoon.)

“I took scans of everything in that file and put it back.” He said. 

One day, when his father had been off to a meeting in London and stayed there overnight, Xar had made digital copies of every single page in the file S. MARESCA RAEYNES. It had been a gigantic task and involved lots of curses and cursed photos he wanted to delete from his brain.

“This is basically a backup of the entire case my father is working on right now.”

“The one about my mother.”

“Yes. A long list of seemingly unrelated crimes, except my father thinks they are not.” He scrolled trough the scans of police rapports, medical paperwork and crime scene photos. Whenever he knew there would be a gross picture, he sublty looked to Wish’s direction so he did not have to see it.

“There’s a file for every death, and a page with a reason why he thinks the file is wrong and it was your mother instead.”

“So everything has an official explanation and a secret one that involves my mother as criminal mastermind?”

“It does sound crazy when you say it like that.”

He quickly scrolled past the photo of the burnt out car, the one he’d had bad dreams about. “Do you um, need something to drink?”

He definitely needed a can of Pepsi, mostly so he could look away from the worst crime scene: a murder with an axe.

“That’d be great, thank you.”

_ Two Pepsi coming up. _

“I uh, have to say, the next file is not very nice to look at.” He tried to sound as casual as possible, but it was a bit hard, for photos of an axe in someone’s head are not a very casual subject.

“Are they bad?”

“Yes.”

Xar said it before he realised it. It was the truth, but not a truth he ever said out loud. He admitted that something was scary, and that was only a short step from admitting he was  _ afraid _ . 

_ Relax, it’s just Wish. She won’t laugh. And you’re not afraid, just a bit... uneased. _

He handed her the can and scrolled further, but Wish did not bat an eye.

“Right, let’s skip this one.” He scrolled faster.

“You were right, that did not look very nice. The axe was not sharp enough.”

“Sharp?”

“You can see that by looking at that scan of the skull. That’s the scan you have on screen right now, right?”

_ What is up with you? These photos made me feel sick! _

Before Wish could make any more comments about axes and other murder related things, Xar asked her how she liked the Pepsi. He did not want to admit it, but he grossly underestimated Wish. 

_Why would a girl with expensive white dresses know this shit?_

“Mother says no one will suspect we can be dangerous if we wear white dresses.” Wish answered for him.”

“Oh no, did I say that out loud?”

“Don’t worry.” She smiled. “I like that there is someone who knows me better than that. Besides, if you learn how to use sharp things, you should also learn what the results will look like.”

_ Right, Wish is pretty good at violent stuff _ , Xar thought, reminding himself of Wish’s first punch.

“This is the most recent one, the death of this guy named Nathaniel C. Jones. A heart failure.” Xar pulled up a picture of mr. Jones. “Supposedly, he was looking into your mother’s case, but there are no files about that anywhere. If anything, he was a regular, boring intelligence desk clerk.”

“He died of a heart failure, confirmed by  three different doctors , and your father STILL thinks it was a murder?” Wish said, rightfully skeptical. 

The more Xar thought about it, the weirder it sounded. Wish’s mother may not be a very nice person, (a lady who taught her thirteen year old daughter the difference between a sharp or dull axe as murder weapon definitely had problems), but this supposed murder started to sound ridiculously farfetched. 

“...yes.”

Maybe that’s why this was the case his father could not solve, because there was nothing to solve.

“The laptop was new. The receipt was found in a drawer, paid with his own card. There were fingerprints, only his own, on it.” Xar pointed to another part of the text, which she did not bother to read.

He wondered why they were still taking this seriously. His wolves were waiting to meet Wish and they were staring at a computer screen.

_Maybe we should quit this entire investigation and go outside._ He got his real-life friend, Wish’s mother was probably not a murderer at all, and his father was clever enough to figure that out.

Xar was about to close his laptop, when Wish pointed at a photo on the screen.

“What about the bottom? If he bought a new laptop, as you said, he must have taken it out of the box, right?”

“Uhuh...” He mumbled an agreeing sound.

“In that case there must be fingerprints on the bottom. Unless he wore gloves, he could not have unboxed it and put it on his desk without leaving fingerprints.” 

Xar looked from Wish to the photo of the laptop and back to Wish. He’d never thought about that detail. He scrolled trough the scans to find the page about the fingerprints and cursed softly.

“Holy.... No fingerprints were found on the bottom of the laptop.”

“Then the person who  did put the laptop there wore gloves.” Wish said softly. “Maybe your father is right to be suspicious.”

~

On the last day before winter break, Xar was the unfortunate soul who had to do his history presentation. Wish wished him luck with a hidden hand signal.

It had been less than two weeks ago, but the day she and Xar became friends still made her smile. They rarely talked while at school, but knowing she had a friend made being there feel a lot nicer.

“My presentation will be about Napoleon Buonaparte. He was a French general, proud, a bit lacking in height, and pure genius.”

Xar started his powerpoint with a painting of Napoleon.

“Just like me.”

Laughter from his followers. 

Wish wondered if Napoleon ever minded axes and deaths. As a man of war, probably not. She knew Xar was proud, and she did not mind when he felt disturbed by the photos he’d scanned.

She  did mind her own reaction. Theoretically, everyone her age would have some sort of reaction to a murder scene. Then why didn’t she? Theoretically, no one her age should be able to read x-ray scans of skulls. Maybe Xar’s father was right, and there was something up with her mother. Not a murder, of course not, but her private lessons in blunt force trauma suddenly became questionable.

“He crowned himself emperor at age 35. Which means I have twenty two years left. I need to step on it guys!”

More laughter. Xar moved on to the next slide while the teacher made notes. The history teacher was a woman nearing her retirement age, but far from the worst teacher around and she was moderately successful in keeping Xar in check. She let him make a few jokes and he went a little easier on her with the sass.

Wish put her questions about murder related things away and thought of the wolves. 

> Xar’s house had been oddly empty, with only one other person, an elderly man in the garden, but he was the only one. Or perhaps she was too used to having guards, butlers and maids around.
> 
> She’d waited all day for the moment Xar said “Let’s go outside, there are a few animals I’d like you to meet.”
> 
> They went downstairs trough the garden. The weather wasn’t too kind that day, with little drops of rain falling and the wind cutting her skin.
> 
> “Most of my birds are not here at the moment, maybe they’ll stop by later.”
> 
> Even in winter Wish could see that the garden was beautiful. Various plants grew criss cross trough the garden in a pattern only the wind could have made. In spring and summer, it would be exactly the kind of place you would expect talking birds and huggable wolves. The garden merged with the forest, with wild shrubs growing among flower beds and ever taller growing grass.
> 
> “Come on.” Xar held out his hand to help her walk trough the undergrowth. The grass tickled her legs and something tore a hole in her tights, but it could not stop the excited beating in her chest.
> 
> “I have never met a wolf before.”
> 
> “First time for everything right?”
> 
> “Right.”
> 
> “Stay here, I’ll get them.”
> 
> Xar climbed over an old looking fence and disappeared behind a tree.
> 
> “Oh and the fence is a bit fragile, so be careful!” came three seconds later.
> 
> They were far larger than pictures prepared her for.
> 
> She had imagined them as oversized german shepherds, but the rugged look to their fur and their mischievous eyes made them obviously wild animals. Dangerous animals. Animals that humans shouldn’t be able to see up close.
> 
> “Hello.” She held out her hand in the most non-threatening way possible and let them come closer. All five of them came over to have a look at her. They sniffed her hand and walked a few circles on their side of the fence.
> 
> Wish didn’t move, not out of fear, but because she simply forgot with the beautiful animals right in front of her. The way their paws touched the ground without making noise and the few rays of sunlight bounced off their fur.  
> The large brown one pressed its nose against her coat and made a soft whining sound.
> 
> “You passed their test, come on!” Xar helped her over the fence and the wolves circled around them as they walked.
> 
> “They don’t have names, they like to stay wild, but these two here are the alpha couple and that excited little one is their daughter.”
> 
> “Hello there, are you the playful one?” Wish smiled.
> 
> The wolf made a happy sound.
> 
> “You can pet her. She also likes it when you throw a stick, but you’ll have to keep finding sticks because she won’t bring them back.” Xar picked up a fallen branch, but Wish ignored him.
> 
> These were the fabled wolves, the ones signs warned hikers for and who Xar took photos of. The ones she could touch.
> 
> The large brown one pressed its nose to Wish’s shoulder to get her attention and soon she wished she had more than two hands.
> 
> She’d never thought too deeply about why her internet friend talked about wolves as if they were pets, but she never imagined she would ever be able to pet one. Wolves, as they turned out, were incredibly soft.

“So they banished him to this island.  _Isola d’Elba_. ” 

Wish snapped out if her daydream to find a disappointing lack of wolves.

“They gave him a palace, guards and servants, everything he’d want, but the guy still escaped.“ Xar clicked to the next slide to reveal a sun-baked mediterranean villa. It was a stark contrast to the howling wind outside.

“So much for gratitude, right?”

He showed a few more slides of the inside of the villa. Everyone who disliked the cold wanted to move there immediately.

“Next time they banished him to a far faraway island and that’s where he died.”

After class, she watched Bodkin talk to two of Xar’s followers and decided that conversation would keep them busy.

“Have you heard about Leafsong? Her parents bought a house with sea view near the port. They’re among the most expensive houses in the country I think?” One said.

“Ya know, those modern square buildings with pool. Only the super rich live there, and there is a waiting list for people who wait till one comes on sale.” The other added.

“Unless they pay millions extra to get to the top of the list.”

“Sea views are so expensive.”

She walked up to Xar and made sure they were out of Bodkin and the follower’s sight.

“Xar?”

“Yea”

They both scanned their surroindings for anyone looking in their direction. It had become a silent agreement to check for any watchful eyes before every conversation. 

  
With Xar’s followers discussing the price of seaside living, they had a few minutes to talk.  Wish took a breath. Better ask the question straight. _This was Xar, he wouldn’t judge her._

“This might be a bit silly, but my mother will have a new years gala and I am allowed to bring guests. I know new year’s eve is not the most logical time, but if you are interested...”

He did not wait for her to finish. “Wish, I am SO ready to leave home on new year’s eve, you have no idea.”

“Really?”

“The last thing I want is lose a fireworks war to Looter. He would burn my head off with a sparkler if he could.”

“That’s the spirit.” Wish smiled. “Not the fireworks war!” She quickly added.

“It’s a party!” Xar agreed.

“The thing is, my mother probably doesn’t like your father very much, so you might have to sneak in...”

She glanced in the direction of Xar’s followers. Bodkin was done calculating the price of a house with sea view and some of them started looking for Xar.

“If you don’t mind, but I thought you would not.”

His grin answered the question for her.

“You got that right! See you new year’s eve!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't think of a good title for this chapter oof
> 
> This is just what happened immediately after chapter 9, the missing Bodkin part.  
> I promise the next chapter will be more interesting, and possibly super long (though I hope not).


	12. Sychorax’s Turn Of The Century gala takes an unexpected turn

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This will be a long chapter and everyone has Feelings.
> 
> I considered doing this in two chapters to avoid confusion but all of this just has to go together. It’s one long evening and all three are there.

**_15:00 _ **

On the afternoon of 31 December, Bodkin stood near the seaside, waiting for Wish. He rarely visited the center of the port, though the view was beautiful.

Once a sleepy fisherman’s village, now a place that had become a town on its own, AND home to the most prestigious secondary school in the area.  
Near the seaside, tourists walked across the promenade and gawked at the yachts in the port, patiently waiting for their owners.   
The fisher’s homes had disappeared and in their place stood a row of modern villa’s, each of them fenced on three sides with stone and one side with water.

_ Of course Wish lived in near port.  _

Bodkin looked at the modern villa’s that graced the seaside. He’d calculated for Xar’s fan club how much these houses cost and knew a shifty billionaire like Wish’s mother could afford one.

His eye fell on a minimalistic marble building. That would be the kind of building Sychorax would own. Her city office was a famous skyscraper and its interior got featured in many architecture magazines.

He hadn’t been sure what to say when Wish invited him over for a new year’s gala.

His father could get a one time job as stand in for someone who had a day off on new year’s eve and so did his mother. They needed the money too desperately to refuse. Then grandpa was asked to work the evening too, and Bodkin could go to his ‘friend.’

He’d made up a story how it was Xar who held a new year’s party, for he did not want to tell his parents he would be spending new years eve with a daughter of  _Her._

In the morning, grandma brought home flowers from her work at the florist and grandpa quickly taught him the basics of Formal Etiquette for Gentlemen.   
Do not unbutton your shirt more than one button, be polite to the staff and always offer a girl your arm.

Bodkin wore his grandpa’s brown suit. His grandpa was a small man, but not yet small enough, and his mom had tucked the sleeves in with safety pins. She’d hugged him with tears in her eyes, saying how proud she was.

“Hi!” Wish greeted, “I hope you did not have to wait for too long.”

“No, not really.” 

“I’m really happy you could make it.”

“I am too.” Bodkin said, and he meant it. With the news that he would have a party to attend, his parents and grandparents would feel less guilty about going to work, and knowing he did a good thing, Bodkin would feel less guilty about lying.

They made their way to the ferries and Wish gestured to a small boat hidden behind ferry 3.

“Hello Marcus!” She greeted the man helping her on board.

“Welcome aboard, miss. Please have a seat.”

“Thank you sir.” Bodkin managed a smile when the man helped him not to fall over.

Wish did not sit down. She walked to the back side of the boat to show the view. Bodkin joined her, but he held the handrail tightly, just to be sure. As they drifted away, they could see the buildings of the port, their school, and the old forest. Far away behind some clouds, he could spot the skyscrapers of the city.

“It’s nice isn’t it?”

“Yes...” Bodkin agreed. From the boat, all the intimidating buildings and noises were as tiny as the humans walking on the promenade. He could not imagine ever getting used to this view. 

“Bodkin, can I ask you a favour for tonight?” Wish interrupted his silence.

“Sure.” He said, a bit too quickly for his liking. Wish’s tone had changed to a more serious one, and his cheery boat-admiring mood wasn’t the most appropriate reaction.

“Could you... Could you try not to draw attention to us? I could finally invite friends over and I don’t want to spend the entire evening talking to mother’s guests.”

“Of course. I’ll just follow you.”

“Thank you. These things... They make me feel very awkward.”

Bodkin nodded. He knew that feeling all too well.

The boat took a turn and a gust of wind blew little drops of water in their faces. They laughed, the weighted feelings gone again.

It dawned on Bodkin that they were the only people on board, save for captain Marcus. They were also a rather long way from the port. As calming as the tiny buildings were, they were also a bit far to swim back to. Something Bodkin hadn’t considered, but was rather nerve wracking now that he thought of it.

“Wait, we’re not going to the villa’s with sea view? Where does your mother host this party?”

“On lighthouse island. My mother owns it.”

_** 16:00 ** _

“ _Xar_?”

Bodkin’d face would have been hilarious if Xar did not feel like his own face made the same stunned expression. He’d received clear instructions on how to stowaway on the ferry that would take him to Wish’s house, but Bodkin was not in the manual.

“I invited Xar too. Mother never said I could only invite one person, but I don’t want everyone to know he’s here.” Wish explained to Bodkin, though that did not make him close his mouth.

“I-I’m sorry, I should have told the both of you, but...”

“It’s fine.” Bodkin mumbled at the same time Xar blurted out “Why?” (not realising that that was not the nicest thing to ask.)

“You two are my only friends. Who else would I invite?” She said with a slightly squeaky tone Xar remembered from school. 

“Yeah, you’re right.” He was here as Wish’s friend, and didn’t want to make her upset, even if it meant keeping up with Bodkin’s boring ass.

_ I guess it makes sense,  _ he thought. Bodkin was her essay writing partner and they usually did school projects together, though that was mostly because no one else wanted to.  Still, Bodkin was the last person Xar would invite to a  party.  An uptight Golden Cypress Circle gala maybe, but not something that would involve fireworks. 

And secretly, somewhere in the back of his brain, he rather liked the fact that Wish and he were each other’s only real friends.

Wish led him across promenades filled with exotic shrubs and trees. There were no flowers in December-soon-to-be-January, but Xar recognised many of them and could add the flowers in his head.

Now  this was the kind of place he loved! It wasn’t natural like the forest next to his house, with the way the roots of the trees stayed in their assigned space and the flowers grew in groups, but the sheer beauty of it made him stare all the same.

Sychorax had an entire island to herself and turned it into a small paradise Xar would love to show to his animals. If she was a murderer, which Xar started to doubt more and more since he met Wish, she had good taste.

They passed three small houses with people in white suits and sunglasses. Some held large firearms.  
“My mother’s lookout guards.” Wish explained.

To Xar’s amazement, Wish enthusiastically greeted them, and they greeted her back with a smile. These people with guns did not fit among the white oleander and lavender.

When he heard footsteps behind them, he immediately ducked. Wish had asked him to make sure her mother would not know who his father was and he wanted to make good on his promise. From the corner of his eye he spotted someone running. “Hey, did you see that?” 

“What?”

“There.” He pointed, but the person was gone. (Running people rarely stay in place, and Xar could have expected this.)

“Maybe it was a swan? Mother has some birds here, maybe you can meet them when I give you guys a real tour of there gardens.” Wish pushed a butterfly bush aside to let them pass.

Whatever it was couldn’t be a swan, unless Sychorax had genetically mutated swans the size of humans. Maybe it was a lost guest, or a white suit guard that looked black in the shadows.

Xar shrugged and climbed out of the shrub. What did it matter? 

On top of the hill stood a villa, less white and minimal as he expected, but twice as elegant. It was decorated entirely in white, cream and beige tones. 

Wish had told him once that she was afraid of spilling tea and Xar finally understood why. The garden may be his dream, but this house was his nightmare. The fact that he had a habit of not wiping his feet made this house unnerving to be in.

More unnerving was the heavy door on the first floor that only opened for Wish’s fingerprint.

“This is the hallway with the private rooms. My bedroom is to the right.”

“Uhu.” Xar didn’t know what else to say, and Bodkin kept his mouth shut as usual.

Everything about this place made him feel unconfortable. The unnecessary way the bedsheets were folded and the triple layered curtains that touched the floor. 

The door closed behind them.

Xar imagined he could play a killer game of hide and seek here, then corrected himself thinking that if he had to hide behind those curtains, it had to be from a real killer. There were plenty of weapons on this island.

“That door leads to my bathroom.” Wish gestured. “Could you stay there for a bit? My uh... Personal assistants will be here with my dress. I don’t want one of them to recognise you.”

“Your personal assistants might recognise me?”

The entirety of that sentence caused a blackout in his brain. He already felt like this villa attacked all of his senses with its (lack of) colour, and this didn’t help.

What in the world did personal assistants  do (were they like maids or more like bodyguards?) and why would they recognise him? He did not post a lot of selfies and his father didn’t brag about his portrait either.

“One of them is also my mother’s personal assistant.”

Xar did not react.

“Right, here’s my ipad. It has the entire David Attenborough collection from the BBC, if you get bored. I hope that’s the sort of thing you’d like.” She handed him an ipad in a white case and guided him to the connected bathroom. “Oh, and a pair of earbuds. You can look trough the keyhole, but don’t make it too obvious.”

She did not have to say that twice. Xar ignored the ipad and earbuds (he brought his own earbuds anyway) to watch the personal assistants walk in. He immediately understood why Wish did not want them to see him.  One had dark brown skin and darker brown hair, the other was pale with a blonde braid. Both of them looked like they could bench press a hundred kg, and both of them had a knife on their belt, the same switchblades Wish had used.

They greeted her with a smile and disappeared from his view, where they were introduced to Bodkin. For once, Xar was glad Bodkin was the center of attention.

_** 17:00 ** _

Eydis and Oana arrived exactly two minutes after Wish had closed the door. They brought in layers and layers of white fabric, so similar looking she imagined they would need an IKEA guide to put it together into a wearable dress.

Oana guided Bodkin to a different part of the room and unfolded a dressing screen, before helping Wish into what would eventually become a dress.  Meanwhile, Eydis listed all the details of the gala, from the various chocolates at the buffet to the security measures. 

She hated the gloves the most. They felt like soft silk, but the fabric was thicker and made it hard to move her fingers. The greatest dread was holding a slippery glass with those gloves.

“Your left hand please.” Oana asked. She gently stitched them to the sleeves of her dress, making sure not to prick Wish with the needle.

Wish knew she wouldn’t. When she was five, her mother had told her to stop crying because the needle wouldn’t touch her. Oana had stroked her cheek to comfort her and thrown the needle at a fly buzzing around, impaling it on the nearest surface.

She’d wondered why she had to wear gloves, and why they were sewn on to make sure she did.

To prevent her from losing them? This fabric surely was expensive.

_ To avoid leaving fingerprints. _

Wish immediately pushed that thought away. She did not want to think about her mother being a murderer, but the possibility had been planted in her head and she could not un-think it.

Ever since Xar showed her that file with crimes, she would come up with less innocent explanations for her mother’s habits. 

Like how she designed the gardens to conceal the villa and made sure no one could see it from the port. Or the many guards. (For an already hidden villa, there sure was a lot if security here.) How she had to wear a dress lined with kevlar and iron. How Oana could kill a fly with a needle.

Oana asked for her other hand, and Wish put thr suspicious thoughts away. _Not today, not now._

This was the first time she was excited for one of her mother’s gala’s. Both Xar and Bodkin would be there, and she would not be the only one without friends. _This time_ , she would positively enjoy it.

_** 18:00 ** _

When Xar was allowed to get out of the bathroom, Wish proudly declared they were ready for whatever her mother had planned.

Downstairs, people arrived in tailcoats and long dresses.

It was a relief that he did not have to be sneaky anymore. They blended right in.

He wanted to rush to the buffet, but Wish’s floor length dress made all of them walk slower than usual. Like the uptight dweeb he was, Bodkin helped her walk down the stairs.

“This is the buffet.” Wish picked up one of the plates from the long table. “Pick whatever you like.”

The plates varied in size, but all of them had a tiny edible art piece on them. Xar picked a miniature tiramisu and a marble inlaid fork.

“Mother always invites a lot of people to her new years gala. And they show up too.” Wish said. “I feel bad for their families at home.”

“I understand, but I am sure they are happy to be here.” Bodkin tried to flatter “We definitely are, right Xar?”

Xar agreed as best as he could with his mouth full.

The first reply that came to mind was: _‘Your scary mother makes them show up, otherwise they won’t have a family next year.’_  
But he did not say it. That was the snappy response, the type that would make Bodkin stammer and mr. Caliburn sigh.

“Another slice of tiramisu?” She asked. “I know these portions are small.”

“You betcha!”

He found he did not  _ want _ to give Wish his snappy answers. Not anymore. Not when she was his only real friend and he was probably hers. 

Xar picked up a third plate with tiramisu when it hit him that this was Wish’s home, and this was Wish’s mother’s doing.

Even if she was not the murderer his father thought she was, she was a scary woman. No one would pick new year’s eve for a large party, but she did. Just to show that she could.   
No one would have guards armed with rifles hidden in their lavender bushes. No one was this obsessed with the colour white. 

This colourless villa with bodybuilders for personal assistants and white suit guards with rifles was Wish’s daily reality, and it had made him incredibly nervous in only one afternoon.

He did not believe in new year’s resolutions, mostly because they rarely lasted three days, but he told himself to be nicer to Wish. She was his friend and above all, she deserved it.

**_ 19:00 _ **

“Can you two keep an eye out for each other? I’ll be back after mother is done.”

It had been a reasonable request, but keeping an eye out for Xar was a tremendous task Bodkin did not sign up for. (Xar was wearing  _dress pants,_ something Bodkin did not think he’d see.... well, ever.) 

He was bad enough at school, but at least the consequences of his actions were his. If they were caught  right now, Bodkin would be seen as Xar’s partner in crime, a role he definitely DID NOT want.

On their way to the central hall, Xar loaded a pile of the tiny chocolates on his plate and ate them on the go.

“No, don’t do that...” Bodkin had pleaded, unfortunately to deaf ears.

Xar offered him chocolate too, creating stains on his white shirt for good measure. Bodkin thanked his guardian angel that Xar didn’t spill chocolate on _his_ shirt.

“Xar, for goodness sake where is your tie?” He hissed. Why didn’t he spot that before?

“I need to eat chocolates?!” He sounded almost offended, “Can’t do that with a silk noose around my throat.”

“What about being a gentleman?!” Bodkin shrieked.

_ Please just put it back! I promised Wish I wouldn’t draw unnecessary attention. _

“Screw that.” Xar simply stated, sucking a bit of leftover chocolate from his finger. “I’m not here to pretend to be fancy, I’m here because Wish invited me.”

Bodkin drew in a breath. This was terrible, no, more than terrible.

_ Fine. New tactic. You can be not-very-nice, and now I can be too._

“This is a formal event Xar, you will stand out if you don’t, and you will get Wish in Terrible Trouble if you get caught for not wearing a tie!” He leaned closer and added in a whisper “Do you know what her scary mother will say when she finds out YOU are here?Maybe she’ll fake a heart attack or a car accident to spite your father.”

That changed Xar’s mind. He pulled the scrunched tie from his pocket and even put the plate with chocolates away. (Only flor a second, though.)

“I think it would be best if you blend in and look like all the other fancy guests. Now hurry, before Sychorax does that speech!”

“I don’t know how to? There are no tie tying classes.”

“Ok.” Bodkin let out a deep sigh. This just kept getting worse and worse. “Fine.” He could not believe he had to tie Xar’s tie for him too. “Just... Just stand still.”

He turned Xar’s collar up and wrapped the tie around his neck. Xar had the top three buttons of his shirt unbuttoned, another thing Bodkin could not believe. Didn’t his fancy office father teach him anything about being a gentleman?

Xar flinched at the touch of Bodkin’s fingers on his neck. “What are you doing?”

“Correcting your shirt. How do you expect me to tie your tie if you did not even button your buttons?” Bodkin snapped, his patience now thoroughly tested. He tugged Xar’s tie for lack of a tie bar. He also said Xar should fasten the button on his jacket, but Xar refused.

Did Wish ask him not to draw attention too? How in the world did he not see that he was doing the exact opposite if what she asked?

No one would notice, but Bodkin got a little satisfaction from the fact that Xar’s tie was tied in the most basic tie knot there was.

_** 20:00 ** _

Positively enjoying had to wait. Her mother held a speech and she and her sisters had to stand neatly in line for everyone to see. Wish hated these events. Her clumsiness only worsened with the formal surroundings and the many eyes watching her.

She had been sewn into her dress and gloves and whatever the hairdresser had done still gave her a headache an hour later. One of the skirt layers had something metal-y in it. The metal rustled and folded as naturally as fabric, but weighed too much to lift with her slippery gloves. 

_ Please don’t let me step on it and fall . _

“Look who is late.” Drama sneered. “Are you going to blame your bad leg again?”

Wish gripped the handrail tighter.  _ Thank goodness, I made it. _ She thought, as she reached at the top of the stairs on the central hall, and took the place closest to her mother.

Terrifying it may be, she stood high enough to see outside. The wind blew leaves around, which was not the most calming thing to look at, but good enough to keep her heartbeat in check. Plus, it was always better than looking at the guests.

Her mother stepped forward in a similar white dress.

No announcement, not trumpet sounds were needed to gain attention. Absolute silcence filled the room in mere seconds. Not even the wind dared interrupt her mother’s not-so-grand entrance.

“Beloved guests, thank you all for being here this evening at this Turn Of The Century Gala.” Her mother spoke.  


Wish concentrated on the leaves falling outside.  _ Don’t move, don’t fall.  _ Chances of her falling over while standing still were small, but she did not want to risk it. Her mother would be hopping mad if she dared interrupt this speech.

The top of the stairs had another benefit, namely that she could oversee all the guests. When she left Xar and Bodkin at the buffet she asked them to keep an eye out for each other and hoped they wouldn’t catch the attention of her mother’s white suit guards.

~~ “In 1909, my great grandfather opened a small trade. Ten years later, exactly one hundred years ago, he went public.” ~~

Wish barely paid attention to the words.  _ Don’t move, don’t fall. _

~~ “Today The Company has grown beyond the world he could ever dream of. This new year will be the start of a new era, a Turn Of The Century for me, my daughters, for you and for all of the world.” ~~

Xar and Bodkin had entered the central hall still eating the chocolates from the buffet. Maybe she should have asked them to bring some for her. She definitely needed something sweet to calm her nerves after this ordeal was over.

_ Don’t move, don’t fall.  
  
_

“Thirty seconds before the new year we will dim all lights, and let the fireworks announce 2019.” She raised her glass. “May it be the greatest year in a hundred, and may we all bring greatness to the next hundred.”

The guests clapped and raised their glasses too, and Wish finally scratched the fabric around her neck. Her dress had a high neckline and long sleeves, which were pleasant against the cold, but very unpleasant to wear.

“Wish.” Came her mother’s voice.

Within a split second, she put her hands back to her sides.

“Mother.”

“You did not embarrass me. Good.” The corners of her mouth turned slightly upwards and Wish’s hopeful gaze saw her eyes turn a little softer.

  
The guest started speaking again, the wind blew its leaves once more and her mother disappeared to talk to one of the white suits.

Wish made her way down the stairs in a bliss, barely looking where she put her feet. It was a good thing her dress was easier when walking down than up.

_My mother smiled at me! My mother smiled at me!_ repeated over and over in her head. She herself could not stop smiling either. _My mother smiled at me!_

It felt like an endorsement, a silent approval of the universe that things would turn out good tonight. 

_** 21:00 ** _

Wish found them within ten minutes of the speech’s end. “Do you want to go outside? There’s less people and I still have to give you that tour of the gardens.”

“Oh yeah, that’d be great!” Xar said, finally putting away the chocolate.

Bodkin wholeheartedly agreed with Xar, for what felt like the first time that day.

They snuck outside as stealthily as Wish’s white dress would allow them. As it turned out, Xar was rather good at hiding behind flower pots and they made their way to one of the staff exits.

“I’m just happy I won’t have to be back for the rest of this party.” Wish said, then added jokingly, “I want to hide in the gardens until tomorrow.”

“Hah... This would be a crazy place to play hide and seek.” Xar commented, and if it had been anyone else, Bodkin would swear he heard a hint of fear in that sentence.

“Let’s not do that, you could be found by someone else entirely. Or get lost by walking alone.”

Bodkin offered Wish his arm, exactly as his grandpa said. 

‘If you intend to go for a walk, politely ask her, but only on classic gala events, or it’ll be old fashioned.’

“I’m sorry Bodkin, but mother has forbidden it. She says we are her daughters, the owners of this island, and we should not be led by anyone.”

“Of course, I understand!” He let his arm drop back to his side. He wanted to ask if he could walk with her regardless, or if her mother had some rule about that too.

‘Gently lead her around, but don’t walk too fast because ladies usually wear shoes that slow them down and a gentleman should be considerate.’

Xar was quicker.

“But  I  am a guest, does that mean I can be on  your arm?” He gave Wish a cheeky smile. The ‘If we bend the rules we do not break them’ kind.

“I suppose, mother never said anything thar.” Oddly enough, she smiled back. It was a smile Bodkin’s brain would fret about for days.

Xar linked his elbow trough Wish’s and folded his fingers around her upper arm.

“Great! In that case, you can show me your garden, there are birds here right?”

‘If the lady refuses, do not push. After all, it’s a fun little custom, not a big rule. Remember, you’re there to enjoy yourself, not to be old fashioned.’

With that, they strolled off. Wish turned back for a second. “Are you coming too?”

Bodkin nodded, but he did not move. From his place on the steps he watched Xar‘s shape become smaller and smaller.  
He envied how Xar’s fingers dug into the white fabric, how casually he leaned closer to Wish. The last time Bodkin saw him that close, he had grabbed Wish by the collar and tore at her blouse.

Bodkin did not want to think about the overwhelming fear slowly taking over his head. It felt like little plants dug their roots into his brain, draining all the other thoughts.

He was losing his ONLY friend to Xar Ataraxeiavanqaj, the most un-gentlemanly boy he ever met!

Xar had a spitfire mouth and couldn’t keep his hands to himself. He never paid Wish attention, then threatened her, and now he had the audacity to act as if he was her lifelong best friend!

  
_**22:00**_

Wish insisted they go back to see where Bodkin went, but they saw him getting some food and Xar said that he would follow them as soon as he’d grabbed some snacks.

He let go of her arm when they were far enough away. Why did people hold arms anyway? If one of them had to lead the other, this was a stupid way of doing it.

Xar knocked on her back. Whatever Sychorax’s tailor had put into that dress made it hard enough to break an egg. “Is this dress made of solid gold or something?”

“There’s iron in there.”

“Sheesh, your mother is really dedicated to this hundred year old thing. Didn’t those old clothes give trouble breathing?” He made a face. The second they’d stepped outside he had loosened his tie again, for Bodkin had pulled a little too hard.

“It’s wire and kevlar. Stab and bulletproof. There is tiny chainmail hidden in one of the underskirts too.”

“Oh.”

That was not the answer he’d expected, though he immediately realised it was the one he should have prepared for. There were guards carrying large weapons here, after all.

“But you’ll you’ll get used to taking half breaths too.” 

“That sucks.” Xar said. He imagined a tie that went around your entire body and couldn’t be loosened. It was a terrible thing to imagine.

“Yeah it does.”

They walked past a pond with a large weeping willow looming over it, strands of leaves wrinkling the water. The faint moonlight made it sparkle.

“What does your mother want all those guests inside to do? Wait?” Xar picked up a twig and threw it. “It’s so much nicer out here. Except for the cold, my toes are freezing off.”

31 December did not have the ideal temperature for a pleasant evening walk. Still, Xar felt more comfortable out here.

“Dance. Talk to each other, drink fancy drinks and eat fancy food.”

“Dance?” He threw a second twig. “Man, how did you survive all previous years? I’d jump in this pond from pure frustration.”

“I don’t know, honestly. Mother says I should have become better at it by now”

“By now?”

“I...” Wish paused, as if what she was about to say was a shameful secret ”I had a leg surgery.”

Yet another answer Xar did not expect, but should have prepared for.  After one afternoon he knew Wish’s mother was the kind of parent who would send her daughter to the hospital for something unnecessary.

Still, it made Xar’s throat burn. It felt wrong. The idea that his father would get a surgeon to change him...   
He knew his father wanted to alter him, heard it often enough, but Xar had found a way to put those words in a hidden box far away.

Words were things that did not exist. All his fathers disappointed phrases would never be real if he ignored them hard enough. A surgery would be a physical reminder that his father did not consider him good enough.

“I used to limp a bit, still do sometimes, but mother had a surgeon change that.”

What was he supposed to say to that?

Never in his life had he thought about saying something before actually saying it. It was an odd feeling to know lots of words and at the same time know they were unsuitable. If there were words to express how sickened he felt, he did not have them in his vocabulary.

“Did you... feel like it hurt?”

_That’s stupid. There’s anesthesia._ He thought, but he could not take it back.

“Not really, you don’t feel anything...” Wish looked up, her voice cheery again. “On the bright side, the recovery took so long I got to skip two dancing events!”

Xar agreed that was a bright side, but the repulsed feeling in his gut stayed.

They reached the end of the garden. A filigree iron fence kept them from falling off the island. Five metres below them, waves rolled against the marble.

“Do you ever have to go to fancy places? You told me your father is a member of the Golden Cypress Circle.”

“Luckily for me, he goes alone most of the time, but I assume he knows how to dance.” Xar remembered clearly how his father admitted on one sentimental evening that his mother liked to dance. He and Looter did not fight that evening, too stunned by this rare piece of information. “He once said mom liked to dance. But ya know.... She died.”

“My father died too. I’ve never seen him dance with mother.”

“Your mother doesn’t seem the dancing type.”

“Then at least I know where I got that from.” 

A chill in the air, or merely a sharp winter wind made Xar shiver. 11 o clock was no time to be outside, not even during summer. 

“The swans are in the pond of the lower gardens, but they’re probably sleeping. I’m not sure if you’d want to meet them.” Wish gestured to a different part of the island.

“Right now I sure as hell don’t! Don’t want to wake sleeping swans.” Xar laughed. “Ariel is already dangerous when he’s cranky, and he’s not even half a swan.”

They leaned on the fence and looked at the water. From this side of the island they could see the mainland.

“You remember I promised to tell you that story about how he nearly attacked a child, but I never did because of... uh, reasons?”

“Let me guess, you can tell it now.”

“Correct.” He pointed to a building on the other side of the water. “Ya know that little snack place in the port? They sell terrible chips*, but the tourists get em anyway. It should be around there...”

Xar told his story, getting a laugh out of both of them.

He hoped Ariel would be a little friendlier when Wish met him. He wanted to ask her to meet his birds, Squeezjoos would love it.  


The garden was the only thing good about this island, but Wish probably knew that far better than him. No need to say it. In fact, he should probably say something nice about this place. It was a party after all, though the fanciness made it dull for his tastes. 

Something exciting needed to happen. 

Their entire friendship was an accident, but perhaps some accidents could turn out great.  


“You know Wish,” he whispered “I’m glad to be your friend.”

  
_**23:30** _

“I’m glad to be your friend too.” 

They did not say anything for a while. What were you supposed to say after saying you were friends with someone?

None of her lessons with Madam Dreadlock on how to speak properly covered this. She knew what to say to business partners, to policemen and to lawyers, but friendships were still a mystery.

When the first lights went out, she said, “It’s almost time. Mother is really dedicated to everything she does, including the fireworks. I always love seeing them, especially after a whole evening of this.” 

Not long after, all the other lights went out, even the small spots in the grass and the lights on the guard houses. The shadows cast by the many trees made it impossible to see Xar, or even her own feet.

_** 10 ** _

Wish vaguely heard the guests counting back at the villa. She took a breath and thanked any higher power that might exist for not having to be there with them. She had a friend now.

_** 9 ** _

For a second, she was back in that broom closet at school, with nothing but Xar’s invisible shape around, when there were secrets to spill and honest things to say. Admitting they were friends was already a big thing.

_** 8 ** _

Bodkin was her friend too, though they’d never said it. She realised she had never said she was a friend to anyone, mostly because she did not have anyone to say it to.

_** 7 ** _

Maybe this really was a Turn Of The Century, albeit one without a hundred year landmark. It could be a turn in her life, where she would be a good daughter and a normal girl.

“It’s funny isn’t it?” Xar interrupted her thoughts. “This entire thing started with me mentioning lighthouse island and now we’re here.”

Wish nodded even though they could not see each other in the dark. 

**_ 6 _ **

“Never would have thought that this was private ground, let alone yours. I get why you wouldn’t want to let your spoon run around here.”

It was ironic indeed. One silly message that ended with her having a real friend.

**_ 5 _ **

“This is such a beautiful place, though. These gardens are really something else.” He added, voice filled with admiration.

_** 4 ** _

I’m sorry you didn’t get to speak to the swans , she wanted to say. She’d been dying to know what they would tell her if they could talk like Xar’s animals.

_** 3  ** _

“Your very own island, with a villa, no, a  palace !” Xar kept talking, for he was rather good at that. 

_** 2 ** _

“You even have an army of waiters and those white suit people. Your mother really has a thing for white huh? No offense, but I don’t think I’ve seen you in any other colour, period.” 

Both him and Bodkin had been in awe at her home, yet she felt like everything about this gala made her anxious.

_** 1 ** _

Inside Sychorax raised her glass as the second counter reached zero.

Fireworks climbed into the sky and released millions sparks if gold, their sound masking any words spoken.

“Yes.” She said softly, “My very own  _ Isola d’Elba _ .”

The fireworks turned into a glittering rainfall that never reached the ground.

Wish did.

A burning pain instinctively made her put her hand to the back of her head. She moved her hand back but her glove was not white anymore. The rapidly changing light and darkness made it hard to see, but something red, sticky and  _red_ covered her fingertips. Or was it gold?

She did not have enough time to wonder whether a firework had landed on her hand. Gravity pulled her to the ground, and her head hit the grass.

Wish only had to close one eye, the other already experienced in the dark.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *my brain typed fries first, then I remembered they use British words and I should too 
> 
> This fic might go on hiatus but I am not so evil to let it end like this.
> 
> ~
> 
> I made a drawing to go with this chapter, see it here: https://yv-sketches.tumblr.com/post/612100961927856128/i-made-this-on-new-years-eve-that-sounds-so


	13. (UN)HAPPY NEW YEAR

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Believe it or not, this was the first chapter I started writing (besides the prologue) and I wrote 12 chapters and nearly 50k words to get here.
> 
> Thank you all for reading, because I never thought I’d get further than chapter 2.

_** 00:20 ** _

Fighting a swan was not exactly something Juan Mendez  _ expected _ to do within the first hour of 2019.

In all fairness, no one expects to fight a swan at any point in their life.

Neither did he expect to have to do actual, scary security work when he applied for his job as guard on Lighthouse Island. It was a bit if a downer, for Juan really liked his job.

He liked his two colleagues, who he would chat with while in one of the lookout houses. He liked the confidence that came with a crisp white suit, sunglasses and a gun. He liked the view of the sea and the gardens. Most of all he liked how he could go home to his wife and daughter each day knowing they would never have to worry about money.

The swan was a bummer.

The animal flapped its wings in his face and let out the most terrifying cries. Its webbed feet left dark stains on his suit. For something so elegant and spotless white, it sure was dangerous.

At the end of the week, madam Raeynes let him and his fellow employees take leftover luxuries. His little girl loved the Belgian chocolates, and he’d wanted to take a whole load of them home after tonight.

After this swan debacle, he hoped it’d better be true.

** _ 00:30 _ **

Bodkin faced a similar problem, without webbed feet and angry wingbeats, but scary and mostly pale all the same.

Meeting ~~Sychorax~~ _Her_ , was not how he expected to spend the first hour of the new year.

One moment he was drinking freshly pressed orange juice out of a glass with a little umbrella in it, the next he was politely pushed into a back room by one of the white suit guards.

“We have found the intruder, ma’am. One look at him tells us he is not a guest.” The guard who first spotted Bodkin said.

“He is a rather small intruder, don’t you think? And not very malicious.” A soft voice said. The white suits stood up a little straighter at the sound.

The woman to whom the voice belonged glided around the corner. She was tall, taller than his mom or dad and somehow, even scarier in real life.

“A stowaway kid that snuck into my beautiful gala.”

The woman who was suspected of murder, bribery and the reason why his dad lost his job. Putting a face to the person his family had feared for a while now made it  real . There was a real person wanted by Xar’s fancy office father, and a real person who had caused a lot of problems in his life.

Bodkin gulped. Did he see those white dots because he felt lightheaded, or because this entire mansion was white? Both were likely.

“Which is NOT who you were looking for.” Sychorax snapped.

Every single person in the room flinched, including the unfortunate waiter passing trough.

“This one wears a miserable excuse for a suit that is at least fifty years old, and do my eyes deceive me or are those safety pins in the sleeves?”

“No ma’am.” A white suit answered for Bodkin. He was incapable of answering himself anyway.

“However, his tie is tied in a perfect full windsor. Odd, for an intruder, is it not?”

They all remained silent, for Bodkin was still unable to speak.

“Well, little stowaway, what do you have to say for yourself? If you did sneak in, I must compliment you for avoiding all my guards.”

“My name is Bodkin Archer ma’am Maresca-Raeynes.” Bodkin shakily said. “I did not sneak in. I am a classmate of Wish and she asked me if I wanted to attend the gala with her.”

This was not a woman he wanted to try lying to. His red cheeks always betrayed him to his grandma. Besides, he was not intruding, Wish invited him. Intruders were uninvited, that’s what made them intruders.

Sychorax sighed. “Wish picked  you as the one to be her guest? How typical of her.”

She turned her attention back to the three white suits. “Since this little stowaway is probably Wish’s guest, that means the real intruder is still somewhere, and more importantly  my daughter! ”

She pointed at the white suit in the middle. “You, stay with mr Archer. The rest of you fools, go find Wish!”

**_ 00:02  _ **

“Wish???” Xar cried. “WISH?!”

He dropped to his knees and shook her shoulder. “Hey, are you alright?”

Blood trickled down his hand, which made being alright a rhetorical question.

Oh goodness.

Oh  _God._

“Wish, please wake up!”

His eyes flitted from left to right, looking for the cause of all the blood.

“Xar?” Wish whispered.

“Oh thank goodness, you aren’t dead!” He let out a tiny sigh of relief.

”I just fell over, you don’t have to be so dramatic?!”

(In Xar’s defense, it was still dark and the fireworks made it see, like there was more blood than in reality.)

Wish pushed herself back on her knees and checked if her eyepatch was still in place.

”You’re bleeding, something.... _someone_ hit you on your head.”   
The idea of a possible attacker looking at them from behind a tree made his heart beat faster, and not in the good way. He quickly wiped his hands on his jacket.

“We have to go. _Now_.” Wish stood up.

“Go where???” Xar pointed out. “This is an island, and not a very big one.”

“If there is an intruder all the alarms will go off. Mother’s white suit guards will sweep the entire island and they cannot find you!”

“But what about your head?” He made a vague gesture. 

“I’ll just tell them I fell and bumped my head on a rock. Happens often enough.”

Xar decided not to comment on that.

Wish took his hand and dragged him along. She was surprisingly fast, for someone in a garden at night, but not nearly as fast as they hoped. The many layers of her skirt slowed her down and repeatedly collected branches and thorns. Xar bumped into at least three shrubs and tripped over a root, for he did not know which plant stood where. The thud he made when falling down two steps nearly got them caught.

With a cold wind blowing in their faces, they stumbled trough the gardens of Lighthouse Island. Dirt gathered in his shoes from the soil they walked on. They could hear other footsteps, but the tall shadows of trees and hedges shielded them from their eyes.

Wish led him downhill, trough patches of flowers and a long spiraled line of cypress trees. The little specks of light falling trough the branches reminded him of the forest at home.

“Left or right?” Xar panted.

“Left.”

Wish pushed him to the side, hastily lifting as much of her skirt as she could. They crawled trough an opening in a hedge to see a pond, its water gleaming like silver foil.

“Watch out for the swan.” Wish said. “He’ll attack if you step on his tail.”

“Anyone there? Miss Wish?” Came a the voice of a guard.

Xar froze.

“Here!” Wish pulled him down to the ground, just in time to avoid the guard’s flashlight.

They crawled behind a shrub. From where they were sitting, they could see the shape of the guard in the water. 

“Duck.” Wish hushed. “The guards are already searching.”

“You just gave me an idea!”

“What are you doing?”

“Even better than a duck!”

Xar crept as close to the pond as he could.

“Hey! Hello there...” he whispered to the swan sleeping on the water’s edge.

“Who ruffles MY feathers at this hour?” The bird stretched its long neck and turned towards the weird creature waking him.

“I don’t mean to wake you like this, but I have a bit of a problem.” 

“You  did wake me up, boy.” The swan croaked, less amused by the second. For something the boy did not  mean to do, he sure whispered too loudly.

“I am sorry, but we are being chased by that man over there and we need your help.” Xar tried.

“I can SEE that. I am _not_ blind, and _not_ _asleep_ , thanks to you.”

“Please, it would help us so much!”

“Us?”

“Me and Wish, she lives here.” Xar pointed to the shrub Wish was still hidden behind. He doubted whether the swan could see her.

“The one who fed me apple crumble cookies every week and then suddenly brought a spoon that jumped on my back?”

“Yes, that would be the one.” Xar said. “Other spoons cannot jump.” Then he immediately added “I don’t think she wanted the spoon to do that, mr. Swan.”

The swan stood up with a grumble. “Fine. But do tell her she owes me cookies.” 

Xar crept back to the shrub.

“Come on, I think we can go.”

He helped Wish up and untangled a branch from her skirt.

“Did you talk to the swan?” She looked back at the pond, where the swan was now wobbling towards the silhouette of the guard. 

“You need to feed him cookies as thanks. Apple crumble ones. And tell Spoon to leave him alone.”

“Will do.” She smiled.

Trough a tunnel of wisteria, Xar finally saw the place Wish intended to go to. A small building on a lower level of the island.

They climbed down a set of stairs hidden among stones covered in ivy. Xar had to help her down without letting either of them fall. The steps were too small for the ridiculous surface of Wish’s dress.

_ Bodkin would be good at this with his gentleman nonsense.  _

“I’m sorry.” Wish stammered.

“It’s fine. We’ll survive, even if we do fall.”

_ Bodkin would cry before he even made it to these stairs. _

They were at sea level now. The wind had gotten stronger and pushed the waves against the side of the island which such force, the sound hid their voices.

Wish pointed at a small building. “Keep going that way, there is a small boat there. When you start it it’ll automatically get you to the port.”

“What are you going to do? You’re bleeding remember?” Xar could not imagine forgetting something as important as that.

“I’ll be fine! I know the guards.” Wish turned around to go back. “They’ll be more afraid of losing me than not finding the intruder. I’ll keep them busy.”

Xar walked to the boathouse, the wind blowing salt water in his face.

It would be easy to leave. These people would be looking after Wish and it was important that her mother did not see him.

He  _could_.

Xar had his hand on the door handle when he decided not to.

He would not leave her. She was his friend.

It was the new year’s resolution he said he did not believe in, but now he found he did.

_** 00:40 ** _

Wish ran back to the mansion, wind cutting in her face, plants cutting in her dress.

_ This was a disaster. _

She should never have tried to do something behind her mother’s back. Now Xar and Bodkin would be in trouble, if not from her mother, then from their own parents. Bodkin‘s parents would be worried sick. Xar’s father would be so cross with him.

 _What made you think this was a good idea?_ She scolded herself.

Why did she think two classmates would possibly be free on new year’s eve?

She was too stupid to pull this off, and she should have known.

When she reached the high garden level she had to blink away her tears. Mother would be waiting and demand an explanation for Bodkin’s presence and the would on her head.

It was only a little bit of blood, and tears were a weakness that was not warranted by something stupid like bumping her head on a rock.

She nearly rushed past a tree with someone next to it.

“Xar?”

_Of course not._

Xar was on his way back home, safely on one of the escape boats. 

This had to be someone else, a man or a woman, dressed entirely in black. They did not move.

“Hello?”

Maybe it was Alexei, the waiter who could not speak.

The shadow stepped a little closer, one arm stretched out towards her, and they were not much taller than her.

Wish barely had time to conclude it was not Alexei. The stinging feeling of a band aid getting torn off got a hold of her.

She raised her arms to fend the stranger off, but it was as if they were made of air. The strangers hands clawed at her face, nails raking her cheeks while she could not feel them.

The stranger pushed her backwards, and the uncomfortable feeling of air scratching at her face made her comply.

First two steps, then five, until a piece of fabric under her heel tipped her over the edge.

She closed her eyes, arms flailing and failing to get a grip.

A handful of rose branches was all she got, as she fell down to a lower garden level, crashing trough the wisteria arch.

_** 01:00 ** _

Curses.

The sound of snapping twigs and rustling grass.

More curses.

“How can a dress make you that heavy?”

A stinging pain in her ribs.

Leftover wisteria in her hair, thorns in her gloves.

Someone was dragging her across the lawn.

All her limbs hurt.

Wish opened her eyes, both of them, and blinked twice.

“Xar?”

_ This is not real. _

“Shhhhhh!” He put his finger against his lips.

_ Xar is gone. _

“Why are you not gone?”

_ This is a dream. _

“It’s a good thing I’m not. You made a big fall.” Not-Real Xar answered.

_ Or maybe Xar was right and that wound was fatal. Maybe I am dead. _

“Xar...” she gasped, her voice so broken it was no more than a hush. “It was  _not an accident_ .”

_** 01:20 ** _

Xar only remembered one thing when the white suits asked: Wish’s eye.

He remembered waking her up, and when she opened her usual eye, the other opened too. He hadn’t noticed her eyepatch was gone, far too occupied with not getting caught. 

It was a perfectly normal eye. Blue, just like the other. It wasn’t missing, injured or misshapen, and there was no apparent reason to cover it up, except it was a little brighter blue than any other eye he’d seen.

“We found him in gardening shed zero-five, holding your daughter’s unconscious body.” One of them said in her earpiece.

“I was the one who opened the door and saw them.” Another added.

If these white suits were speaking the truth, he must have taken her to that gardening shed.

Who was he kidding? 

Those white suits wouldn’t dare lie to Sychorax, and it would have been an incredibly genius idea of him to hide in a gardening shed.

His last clear memory of the evening, was his decision to leave the boathouse. He’d ran trough the gardens only to find Wish on the ground. She just lay there, covered in wisteria.

He must have seen her second eye then.

Had he been hit on the head too? He could not remember how he ended up in a pristine white room with five qhite suit guards surrounding him.

A woman entered the room. She looked somewhat like Wish, but with long blonde hair and all the niceness drained from her face.   
His thoughts were sensible enough to conclude that this was Sychorax Long-Surname. Wish’s scary mother.

Sychorax tugged the lapel of Xar’s jacket and he resisted the urge to bat her hand away.

“And who might you be, little intruder?”

“What makes you think I’ll tell you?” He shot back, braver than he felt.

“A rude little intruder, I see.”

Xar wanted to flip her off, but did not want to risk it in case she really was the murder his father thought she was.

“Please bring in the other boy, I think I should do a little questioning.”

As if it was practiced, a door opened and another white suit walked in with Bodkin. When their gazes met, they had a little, nonverbal conversation that went something like this:

> “XAR YOU IDIOT!”
> 
> “Bodkin shut up it was not my fault.”
> 
> “Whatever it was, now  I am stuck with your mess!”

They had had the same exchange many times at school, when Bodkin brought him an ice pack and the first aid kit. This time, no amount of band aids could get rid of Sychorax and her white suits.

Bodkin sat down next to Xar. He looked like he could fall over any minute, something Xar would not mind, because he expected Bodkin to snitch under the slightest pressure.

“Mister Archer, this unnamed boy and you are in the same situation, and yet....”

Sychorax looked him up and down, from the stains on his formerly white shirt to the bedraggled tie around his neck. “ _That_ , is the exquisite Belgian chocolate I ordered, and  _this_ is a pure silk tie from Harrods in London.”

She looked back at Bodkin.

“The rascal son of a guest, I could presume, however, any boy of a certain standing would know how to tie a more formal tie knot.”

Beside him, Bodkin sighed.

_Bodkin you did a terrible job!_ Xar cursed him internally.

He looked at Bodkin with a look that said: ‘I thought you fixed that???’

“Now we have quite the riddle on our hands.”

She folded her hands together and circled around the room like a predator about to kill its prey.

“One, who could pass for the son of a guest if he weren’t... lacking manners. And one, a stowaway who was supposedly invited by Wish.”

“It’s true!” Xar shouted.

“Yes ma’am, I have told you everything.” Bodkin added.

“So you knew of each other’s presence at my gala?” Sychorax pursed her lips into a smile.

Both of them shut their mouths.

_Everything? Damn you Bodkin._ Xar wanted to punch him. Wish would be in trouble because he was such a chicken.

“We won’t know if mr Archer was truly invited unless Wish tells me it is so. Unfortunately, Wish is currently in no state to tell anything. At exactly two seconds after the start of the new year, Wish was rendered unconscious.”

“And how would you know that? If someone saw when it happened down to the second, you’ll also know it was not us.” Xar stood up to look Sychorax in the eye. 

Three white suits took a step in his direction, but Xar was not a boy who would let armed guards put him off. 

(In the background, Bodkin buried his face in his hands.)

Sychorax raised her gloved hand as if she would strike him and Xar flinched. “There are heartbeat monitors in here. As soon as the pulse of the wearer goes down, I’ll know.”

The white suits stepped back to their places at the gesture.

“And how do you know it was us? You can strangle someone with a tie, so what if she fainted from that dress? Ya know, like in a bad movie.” Xar crossed his arms in an attempt to cover up his tiny display of fear.

Bodkin moved his head from side to side. A nonverbal ‘no’ that Xar chose to ignore. 

“In that case, YOU are the cause!” He shouted.  Accusations like these could make any teacher livid, and it thoroughly annoyed Xar that Sychorax did not seem to react.  


She continued in her ever so soft voice:  “No, I am afraid not. There was blood on her head. She was hit quite violently. I also have camera’s around the villa, and a few gala photographers. You are not visible anywhere at the time of Wish’s unfortunate event.”

She reached over to take Xar’s pocket square, a sleek black piece of fabric, monogrammed with an A.

Xar moved to get it back, but decided he did not want to waste his energy on a piece of cloth his father owned at least a dozen more of.

“There is a drop of blood on here.” She said in a whisper, as if she were a shark that smelled blood and had to choose which boy she would tear to pieces. Her smile vaguely reminded Xar of a horror movie Looter had forced him to watch. 

“If you would be so kind to raise your hands. This cannot be the only drop.“

The white suits made it less of a command and more of a threat.

_A great white shark about to catch herself a goldfish and a piranha._ Xar thought, before raising his hands anyway.

On the face of someone who seemed devoid of any emotions most of time, genuine surprise was easy to recognize.

“What is this green X?” She asked, a little too eager for the cold Queen of Lighthouse Island she pretended to be.

Bodkin looked surprised as well.

_ Oh right, I never told Bodkin about that little adventure. _

“What did you do?” He whispered.

Xar rolled his eyes at him. Couldn’t he just shut up?

“I do not think this is just a permanent marker. This went inside your hand.” Sychorax continued, tracing the two crossing lines.  
The touch of her finger sent lots of little bugs across his skin.

“I was going to call you John Doe, but I suppose boy X will do.”

“I was going to call you the queen of this island , but I your nose is bigger than your kingdom.” Xar snapped, for he really wanted his hand back.

The white suits started to murmur, exchanging worried glances. Bodkin made a face once again.

“Hmpf. A rude little intruder indeed.” Sychorax scoffed. 

“Why don’t you go find the real intruder? Because we DID NOT have anything to do with what happened to Wish!”

(He felt it was safe to speak for Bodkin as well, for he thought Bodkin was not strong enough to knock a four year old out with a hammer.)

“Are you going to call the police ma’am?” Bodkin asked with a squeaky voice.

He’d been quiet for most of the time and to be honest, Xar liked it better that way.

“I think I’d rather call this boy’s parents. What is your mother’s phone number? I am sure she would not like to hear about this. I doubt any mother would.”

“She’s dead, you stupid lady.” Xar replied, balling his hands into fists.

(Bodkin buried his face in his hands once again.)

“Your father then?” Sychorax narrowed her eyes, and Xar wanted to punch her for ignoring his mother like that.

“Call my father,” he hissed, now thoroughly fed up, “and he will come to this island, into this house, and bloody that white dress of yours with a million bullets!”

They stood there for a solid minute, Xar looking her in the eye with all the anger he had in him. This was the woman who had upset his father and forced Wish to learn about axe murders. He would not look away first.

(In the background, three out of five white suits also had their faces buried in their hands.)

“You sound quite certain of that.” The shark smile disappeared and got replaced by a smaller, asymmetric grin.

“Yes, and I am sure you” he pointed straight at her, still not breaking eye contact, “and your ghosts in suits don’t stand a chance against him!”

The guards turned as pale as their suits. No one ever spoke to their boss like this.

“Myers.” Sychorax snapped. One of the guards hastily stood up straight again. “Tell the ferry captains the guests will leave earlier than planned. Both of them will be on the first ferry back to the port.”

“Thank you so much ma’am. I am grateful for letting me...” Bodkin started.

_ God, I should have known Bodkin would be good at sucking up too.  _ Xar scoffed.

Two guards opened the door for her, abruptly ending whatever Bodkin was trying to say.

”I know enough about you, boy X.” She said, finally looking away, “Or should I say, Xar son of Encanzo.”

If Xar had found any joy in winning the unintentional staring contest, it did not last long.

_** 01:40 ** _

The mirror rarely showed Wish something she liked, but today was worse than usual.

The bandages covered her forehead and one eye. (Not the greatest loss, as that specific eye was already covered by an eyepatch.)

Her ribs hurt, and one leg dragged behind her as she walked. The left glove had disappeared, to show pale skin filled with lots of small, yet deep cuts.

_Someone_ had hit her on the head. _Someone_ had pushed her from the high garden level to a lower one.

She’d thought she fell over for a second and landed on a rock. Her main concern was getting Xar away without anyone finding him, while it should have been keeping herself safe.

Spoon put a bit of hand lotion on the cuts and rubbed them with the bowl of his head.

“Thank you.” Wish said, wiping leftover lotion from his head.

It had to be the person Xar had seen. He’d said he saw a shadow, and she’d thought it was a waiter or guard. What if it wasn’t?   
She had been able to smuggle Xar to the Turn Of The Century Gala, surely some real spy person could do it too.

The person who pushed her was a shadowy figure as well. If they were real at all.   
The doctor who had looked at her head told her lots of memories of tonight might have gotten blurred or messy. 

Maybe the concussion of getting knocked out the first time had made her see things. Xar talking to a swan, for example. Did he really talk a bird into distracting a guard?  If she said it out loud it sounded a lot like a concussion story.

Spoon had jumped on the floor and now pulled on the hem of her skirt. He rapidly jumped up and down and made bending motions to the floor.

Under the washbasin furniture lay Xar’s earbuds.

_ He must have dropped them when he was waiting. _

Wish immediately picked them up and wrapped them in some toilet paper. They were from a brand that was not part of The Company, and they would give him away in a second.

Footsteps in the hallway made her rush out of her bathroom. Spoon hastily scurried back into her nightstand in fear.

She turned the lock on her door and stuffed Xar’s earbuds under her pillow. It was the worst possible hiding place, but the footsteps would not wait for her to play hide and seek. The creator of the footsteps could unlock the door in a second anyway.

“Wish.” her mother’s icy voice called.

“Yes, mother.”

“The door was locked.”

It was not a question.

Locked doors were forbidden. The locks were sensitive and locking someone out was not nice. Madam Dreadlock said it often enough. It was not necessary either right? Eydis and Oana always knocked. So did the waiters bringing her tea, and the white suit guards when they did their security checks.

Wish dearly hoped this was the only thing she would get in trouble for.

Her mother glided into her room. A gentle guiding hand made her sit on the edge of her bed. She sat down next to Wish, the tone in her voice shifting to a much sweeter one.

“They are used to keep intruders out if they ever break into our house. If I see a locked door I worry there might be something wrong.”

Her mother put her still gloved hands over hers, long bony fingers running over the cuts.

“Wish, you  _know_ no one would enter uninvited unless there is an emergency.”

She nodded.

_ No one except you, mother. _

Her mother was only worried, of course, especially after what happened. Most of the time she would knock on the door. Wish could not remember a specific instance when her mother knocked, but she told herself that was also due to the concussion.

“I never meant to lock the door in front of you, I was afraid of the intruder.”

_ Both are true, I swear. _

“Of course not.” Sychorax put her hands on Wish’s shoulders. “I just want you to be safe.”

Her mother’s hands pulled her closer, into an almost hug, where Wish could lay her head on her mother’s shoulder and mother would stroke her hair. If she hadn’t locked the door, she would have been able to put her arms around her mother for a real hug.

Real hugs were a rarity. Something her mother did not indulge in with a failure of a daughter like her.

The half hug already felt  so nice! Feeling her mother’s fingers on the back of her head made Wish forget the intruder and the bandages.

“I know you have earbuds hidden under your pillow.” Her mother whispered. “Please give them back. You should sleep right now, not listen to music.”

Wish’s hands twitched in reflex. Luckily she had not tried to wrap her arms around mother, or her mother would have felt it.

As if paralyzed, she lifted her pillow and handed them over. They were white, like her own, but she knew the letters unmistakably spelled **S A M S N U G.**

“These are not yours. How did you get them?” Her mother asked with the feigned surprise Wish had heard so many times before.

“They...”

_ Do not stutter. _

“They belong to the friend I invited.”

_ It’s not a lie, mother.  _

They could be Bodkin’s earbuds, after all.

Wish stayed as still as possible, waiting for what her mother would swing at her next. She expected her mother to show her disappointment-filled anger, not to hit her with another unexpected question.

“Did you know Xar Ataraxeiavanqaj is a self absorbed boy who carved his own initial in his hand?” 

Her mother’s voice hardened.

_ Oh no _

“W-what?” Wish‘s breath quickened, making her lips tremble when they let out air.

_ I thought the locked door was the worst thing that happened tonight. _

Her mother knew Xar was here. Had the guards found him?

_ I was wrong. _

And how did she know who he was? The Xar she knew would not give up his name easily. 

_ Very wrong. _

Her mother had pronounced his surname, the entire name, without blinking or stuttering.

She closed her mouth and sat up straight, realising how pathetic she must have looked. Her mother still said nothing.

An agonizing thirty seconds later her mother spoke with a voice golden like honey.  “You should have been honest with me, dear.” Her hand covered Wish’s once again. “You know you can invite multiple friends.”

Wish did not react, her joints frozen in place by the new twist her mother’s words took.

She remembered she once wrote an essay about how stones split cleanly in two after being put under thermal stress.

“If you had told me, I would have put both of them on the guest list and time our guards spent chasing him, could have been used far better.”

_ Why does my stupid brain think of rocks in a moment like this? _

Sychorax plucked a leaf out of Wish’s hair. “I will send a few out there tomorrow to find your hair pins.“ She gave her daughter two quick pats on her shoulder and stood up with a smile.  “I have to get back to the guests, they should be leaving soon.”

Her last words brought Wish back to her senses. (Or rather, the sense of discomfort.)

“And  **_do_** lock the door this time, we still haven’t found that intruder.“

_** 07:00 ** _

The sun had started to rise as Sychorax overlooked her island from the mezzanine. The guests had been shipped back to the luxury hotels in the port and though she would never admit it, she wanted to sleep.

She twirled the silk pocket square trough her fingers. The monogrammed A had made her think and that stupid boy had done nothing to make the guess harder.

_Xar, son of Encanzo Ataraxeiavanqaj._ She mused.  _How interesting._

Out of all children, her hopeless daughter had picked his son to be her friend.

Both boys would be home by now, safely in their own beds. Hopefully Encanzo had seen his son arrive with twigs in his hair and a messed up suit.

A knock on the door disturbed her thoughts.

“Ma’am, my apologies for interrupting.”

“Is there a good reason for this interruption?”

“I believe so, ma’am. I have found a rock with blood on it. Possibly the one used to hit miss Wish on her head.”

A white suit guard-whose-suit-was-not-white-anymore handed her the rock and stepped back.

It was a piece of marble from flower patch 07-C, small enough to fit in a child’s hand, but pointy enough to knock someone out. She ran a finger over the now dried blood. It still left a red stain on her glove.

Turning the rock in her hand, she could take a closer look at the other side.

A perfect X, burnt into stone with an unknown substance. The green colour made her think of some sort of acid at first, then her mind went back to Encanzo’s son.

She looked up to the guard still standing in the door opening. “Juan Mendez,” a smile appeared on her face, “thank you for your observant eye. Please see Oana in the morning, you will be promoted to guardhouse chief.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This fic will now go on hiatus.
> 
> I feel like these last chapters have gotten so much harder to write and I cannot find the time.
> 
> I have a bunch of half written chapters already (including but not limited to a talking car key, murder, that zoo opening, a shadow quest conspiracy and them saving their parents from being dumb), so I won’t abandon this. I just don’t think I’ll be finishing them any time soon.


End file.
